


Homecoming

by caleprwrite, odd_izzy



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: A.R. Asher Poetry, And it was Fantastic, Avengers Eyes are Everywhere, Avengers Tower, Blood, Bucky is Proud, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Claustrophobia, Damnit Tony, Dom/Sub Referencing, Domestic Avengers, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, F/M, First Kiss, Fuck the Chair, Fucking Thor and His Reasoning on Midgardian Behavior, God be with Bucky, His Little Girl, Honesty, Husbands Being Good to Each Other, Johnny Gets Wiggly, Johnny is MIA, Johnny needs a hug, Johnny’s Confession, Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran, M/M, Maggie Feels Bad, Maggie has Issues, Maggie is Persuasive, Making Out, Married!Stucky, May has Suspicions, Morning After Pill, Mother Earth is Pissed, Mr. Morita is a Life Saver, Mutation, Peggy's Playbook, Peter Can't Even, Peter Makes it all Better, Peter is jealous, Pining Peter, Political Disaster, Prickly Steve, Protective Wanda, Relationships are Work, Role Reversal, Secret Identities, Steve Rogers 2.0, Steve Takes Control, Steve tries to walk a fine line, Teenage Insecurities, Teenage sexuality, Thank God for Pietro, Tony Snark, Unnecessary Risks, WTF Indeed, Wake up!, Wanda is the Best Big Sister, and then there were four
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-01 21:38:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 58
Words: 91,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12713448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caleprwrite/pseuds/caleprwrite, https://archiveofourown.org/users/odd_izzy/pseuds/odd_izzy
Summary: Maggie Rogers-Barnes has been asked to Homecoming by the guy she's crushing on, but technically she's not allowed to date yet.Things are changing for her- rapidly- and she's trying to keep up. Just when she thinks she might have a handle on life, it throws her a curveball. She's learning quickly things aren't always as they seem.Sometimes that's not necessarily a bad thing, and sometimes... nothing in the world can make it okay.Avengers life.





	1. Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Non-canon compliant. In this AU, Jarvis never became Vision. Civil War never happened. Pietro lives, because his death was unnecessary- I'm thoroughly convinced he's walking it off somewhere.
> 
> Steve and Bucky are married, and Maggie is genetically both of theirs as well as a direct descendant of the late Peggy Carter, because, Science. 
> 
> A/N: Non-consensual human experimentation, bullying, kidnapping, minor character death and teenage sexual activity. Warnings will be at the beginning of each applicable chapter.
> 
> Domestic Avengers...
> 
> I own no one outside of Maggie. All characters belong to Marvel and I apologize profusely for my shameless use of them- ahem. Don't actually believe that crap.

Maggie laid flat on her back in the middle of the mat, her arms spread wide and her knees were bent, but wobbling precariously. To say she was exhausted would be the understatement of the century. Anyone would be if they’d just gone round with Natasha Romanov.

Not only did they spar- and when Maggie sparred, she sparred _balls out-_ they also conditioned after. Six sets of heavy resistance weighted dead bugs, 12 reps each. Ring planking until they both collapsed into the foam pit below, and one hundred plate weighted Russian twists. Because, of course they were plate weighted _Russian_ twists.

Once her breathing leveled out, Maggie looked to her left. Her godmother looked as tired as she did, surprisingly enough. She assumed it was for her benefit. Don’t let the kid think her ass had just been handed to her. Put on a show… Look tired, too. Give the girl a proverbial pat on the back, an A for effort. _Spasibo, Krestnaya._

 

“I’m home!” Maggie called into the foyer.

She made her way to the kitchen and dropped her backpack on the counter. School ended over three hours ago and after conditioning, she was _famished._ Her long brown hair escaped it’s bun _again_ so she pulled it back up for the millionth time, and chugged a glass of water.

“Da? Pop? Hey Jarvis, is anybody home?” she yelled over her shoulder as she pulled containers of fresh blueberries and greek yogurt from the refrigerator.

 _‘I’m sorry, Miss. Both the Captain and Sergeant Barnes are away at the moment,’_ Jarvis’ melodic voice replied.

Maggie sighed. She really needed to talk to them. After crossing her fingers, knocking on wood, throwing salt over her shoulder, and completing almost every other superstitious ritual she could pull out of her rear, she decided to just go for it. Really, it was only Homecoming. Not a big deal, right?

 _Right._ That’s why she’d hesitated for two weeks already. Any longer, they’d think their daughter was asked out as an afterthought. Then they’d _really_ hate the poor guy. As it was, she wasn’t even _technically_ allowed to date yet.

“Are they off-coms again, J?” Maggie asked the ceiling around a mouthful of blueberries, hoping if they were called in, it would only be a short-term mission.

_‘No, Miss. In fact the Captain has just asked I inform you that they will be home by 7p.m.’_

The tension in Maggie’s shoulders from her parents possibly being away on a long-term mission loosened. She hated it when they were gone. Their apartment was too quiet at night when it was just her.

 _‘Additionally,’_ Jarvis continued in an almost hesitant tone, _‘Sergeant Barnes requests you order Thai food from his favorite establishment.’_

Maggie scrunched her nose in response. “Yuck.”

It wasn’t that she hated Thai food, it just wasn’t her favorite. Not even close.

 _‘Yes, Miss. I am afraid so.’_  

She crammed another spoonful of blueberries and greek yogurt into her mouth before heading to her room to put away her knives and other pointy things. While there, she kicked off her shoes, flopped onto her bed and dove headfirst into her textbooks.

Maggie was struggling with Calculus, and if she didn’t get a decent grade on midterms she’d have to be officially tutored. By Tony _freaking_ Stark of all people. If he found out she needed help and didn’t ask she’d never hear the end of it. Sure, he was one of the brightest minds of the 21st century, but he could be downright insufferable. Maggie’s phone dinged and she read the text as it came through.

Aunty Nat: Don’t forget to take an epsom salt bath tonight _Milaya_

Maggie: Right?

Maggie: U kicked my ass today!

Aunty Nat: And you better talk to them already

Maggie: …

Aunty Nat: OK?

Maggie: OK **:(**

Aunty Nat: You did good… love you

Maggie: LY2 _Krestnaya_

After setting a timer on her phone, Maggie continued to study. She glared at the page reviewing the ϵ−δϵ−δ definitions of limits before huffing out a breath and settling in for an oh-so-fun-filled hour of nonlinear functions. As hard as she tried, it made no sense. It. Just. Wouldn’t. Stick. Slapping her book closed, she reasoned she might as well just swallow her pride and ask for help.

“Jarvis, is Uncle Tony home?”

_‘Sir is in his lab with Dr. Banner. Shall I call him for you?’_

“No, it’s okay…” She hesitated, looking over the equations again. “Actually, are they like, _really_ _busy_ right now?”

 _‘They are decidedly_ not _busy, Miss.’_ Jarvis intoned sarcastically and Maggie snorted a laugh. In all honesty, Snarky Jarvis was Maggie’s favorite.

“Nice! Tell him I’m on my way then. And tell him Calculus sucks major butt.”

**Russian**

_Spasibo = Thank you_

_Krestnaya_ _= Godmother_

_Milaya = sweet girl_


	2. Help

Maggie trudged dramatically up the stairs two floors up to Tony’s main lab with her backpack slung over her shoulder. Entering through the automatic glass doors, she walked in just in time to see a balled up rag bounce off the edge of a wastebasket held by DUM-E. 

Tony grabbed fists full of his hair and yelled, waving his hands in DUM-E’s direction. Huh. No idea where Maggie’s penchant for dramatic flair came from.

“Oh  _ come on!  _ That was right at you- you literally didn’t even have to move!”

DUM-E just made a sad sound and dropped the wire basket onto the counter. Maggie scoffed and put her bag down. 

“Aww, it’s okay DUM-E. I still love you,” she cooed and shot Tony a mean look. “Why'd you have to program him to sound so pitiful?”

“Peanut! Come give your favorite uncle some love!” 

Tony’s eyes lit up and he made grabby hands for her. She hugged Tony, and also Bruce before plopping down on a stool. Bruce held his hand out to Tony, who begrudgingly slapped a $50 bill in his palm. 

“I’ll leave you to it, guys,” Bruce waved and headed for the doors.

“What, you don’t want to stay for  _ Calculus?  _ Your loss, big guy,” Maggie deadpanned.

“As intriguing as that sounds, it’s time for some meditation. I can only handle hoops with  _ DUM-E and Dumber _ for so long.”

“Ha! I got that reference!” 

Maggie threw her head back in laughter. She tried (unsuccessfully) to control the urge to high five Bruce as he walked out. Bruce’s wry humor got her every time. 

“What’s this I hear about sucking ass?” Tony asked, claiming the title back as the funny one.

“Uh, I just  _ hate _ it,” she whined.

“Hating it isn’t going to help you pass the class.”

“Gee, thanks  _ Ma.” _

“Come on, Peanut. You’re already two years ahead of your grade in math. You can do this.”

“Maybe that’s the problem, Uncle Tony. I’m not a genius like you,” she shrugged and cracked her knuckles absently. “I’m just not as smart as everyone expects me to be. I mean, it’s okay to be normal, isn’t it?”

“Sorry to disappoint you, kiddo. You have two super-soldier fossils as your parents, your godmother is a world-renowned assassin and your favorite uncle is a devilishly handsome genius.  _ You  _ will never be normal.”

“But Uncle  _ Tooony!”  _ Maggie groaned and bonked her head down onto the metal table. She covered the back of her neck with her forearms and whimpered a pathetic sound, rolling her forehead from side to side on the cool metal. 

Tony indulged her dramatic flair for a few brief moments, but then kicked her stool with his foot to get her attention. As he began, he explained nonlinear functions in a manner only Tony Stark could. And really, it was an honest-to-god Christmas miracle, because it actually made sense to Maggie. She even completed a few complex equations to demonstrate her comprehension, and in no time, she was laughing and kicking Tony’s ass at DUM-E hoops.

“Thanks Uncle Tony, I needed this,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his old and worn-soft Black Sabbath t-shirt. He hugged her back and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“It’s what I’m here for.” 

_ ‘Excuse me, Sir, Miss,’  _ Jarvis interrupted politely.

“Go, J,” Tony answered, rubbing Maggie’s back briskly.

_ ‘Miss may want to return to her quarters. The food has just been delivered and her parents have an ETA of ten minutes.’ _

“Oh crap that’s right! Thanks J!” Maggie called to the ceiling and scooped up her backpack.

“Hey, you  _ do _ know he’s not in the ceiling, right?” Tony teased.

“Whatever! It makes me feel better to pretend he actually exists,” she called back over her shoulder with a cheeky smile. “Thanks again!”

_ ‘Begging your pardon, Miss. I do exist,’ _ Jarvis answered in an offended tone.

“Just pullin’ your chain, J.”


	3. Dinner

The lobby was quiet save for the sounds of the posted guards and delivery lady, who perked up when she saw Maggie coming. The small woman reached up and held Maggie’s shoulders with thick, strong hands, looking her frame over closely. 

“You eat more,” she grumbled with a _ tut, tut, tut. _ “Too skinny. Why you no eat good?”

_ “Mama Dao,”  _ Maggie grumbled back. She was blushing at the way the guard snickered at her being chided by the small woman. “I eat all the time, I really do.” 

If the woman only knew how much Maggie ate just to keep her current muscle mass, it would blow her mind. Being the daughter of genetically enhanced super soldiers meant a very fast burning metabolism.

“I pack extra Pad Thai for you. You eat more,” she demanded in her broken english.

“Yes ma’am, thank you.” Maggie smiled. 

Mamo Dao was such a fierce little woman.  She patted Maggie’s cheek with her thick hand and smiled up at her. 

Maggie hurried into the lift to get back to her floor. She was loaded down with her stuffed backpack, Calculus textbook, and both arms full of food- and all in a rush to beat her parents home. 

When she opened the front door, Steve’s favorite Billie Holliday song was playing. The lights were on low and the door to the master bedroom was shut, so Maggie put her things away and set to dishing out the food.

“Hey Squirt. Where were you?” 

Bucky came up behind her. He held her head in his hands and dropped a kiss to the side of her bun. She paused while plating the food and turned to hug him. 

“Hi Pop,” she smiled and squeezed tight around his middle. “I was with Uncle Tony. Calculus was still giving me trouble, but I got it now.” 

Steve followed out shortly after. Maggie gasped when she saw the butterfly bandage on his cheek and the black eye that was blooming above it. 

“Oh my gosh, Da! What happened?” She walked over for a closer look. “You guys weren’t even gone one whole day!”

“It’s fine, Sweetheart, I’m okay,” he blushed, hugging her as he softly rubbed her back and chided, “You worry too much about me.”

_ “Maybe  _ if her Da didn’t jump out of perfectly good planes with no ‘chute she wouldn’t  _ have _ to,” Bucky grumbled under his breath, passing Steve a beer. He just rolled his eyes. 

“Again with that, Buck? One day you’re gonna hafta let that go.”

“Never!” Maggie and Bucky replied in unison. They both laughed and exchanged high fives.

“Hey! No fair gangin’ up on me!” 

“Do I even want to know?” Maggie asked.

Bucky cut in with a smirk on his lips and winked at Steve. “Some little punk didn’t want to wait for backup is all. But I got him out.” Steve huffed a smile, pressing the cold beer bottle against his cheek. 

“Yeah, my knight in shining  _ Arm-or.”  _

Steve giggled at his own dad-joke and the two brunettes rolled their eyes. Maggie brought the plates of food over to the table, and when Bucky lit the candles, she looked up at him in confusion. 

“Is there a special occasion, Pop?” 

His lips curled into another smirk and she narrowed her bright blue eyes at him. She raised her brows at Steve, who just looked at the ceiling and shrugged his shoulders. 

“You’re such a crappy liar,” she scoffed to Steve. 

Crossing her arms, she sat back in her seat and eyed her parents suspiciously, hoping one of them would crack. Bucky raised his brows in return, accepting the challenge. Steve rolled his eyes at the two stubborn loves of his life. 

“I can’t take it! What’s going on?” Maggie groaned.

Bucky shrugged a shoulder and raised his brow. “Someone’s got important news is all.” He shared a knowing look with Steve and they turned to her in unison. 

In that very moment, Maggie shrank into her chair and prayed for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. They knew? Crap, they knew! Aunty Nat wouldn’t have told them, so how the heck did they know?

“Uhm,” Maggie began quietly, staring at her hands in her lap. She pulled a strand of hair to twirl with her left hand and her face flushed warmer with each passing second. “Well I wanted to talk to you guys… About it sooner, I mean.” 

“Sooner? How long you been waitin’, Squirt?”

“Almost two weeks,” she mumbled.

“I’m sorry, what did you say? Stevie, did you hear somethin’?” Bucky teased, cupping a metal hand around his ear and Steve’s bright blue eyes danced with his smile.

“I dunno, Buck. I think maybe my hearing is finally goin’. I  _ am _ gettin’ old, you know. I guess it’s to be expected.” 

“Okay, okay. You’re both  _ so hilarious.” _ She took a breath and steeled herself for them losing their collective shit. “I’ve been asked to Homecoming, and I  _ really _ wanna go. Please, can I?”

“Of course you can-” Bucky began, but then stopped mid-sentence. He realized Maggie said she’d been  _ asked.  _ “Wait a minute- you’ve been  _ what?”  _

“We uh... We figured you wanted to go this year, but-” Steve began, the calmer of the two.

“But not with a date,  _ Jesus!” _

Bucky ran his hand through his hair and his knee started bouncing.  _ Great.  _ Cue the Bucky Barnes angry tic.

“Now hang on, Buck,” Steve said gently, reaching out to cover Maggie’s hand. Her eyes were wide as she looked from Bucky to Steve. “Sweetheart, we thought you were having a hard time asking us because you needed to go buy a dress, and we’re- well, you know...” he motioned between himself and Bucky.  
“You’re what? You’re my _parents.”_ Having two dads had never, ever been an issue for Maggie. 

“No.  _ No.  _ We’re just, guys, is all. We don’t have much style outside of khakis and jeans.” 

“Speak for yourself, Rogers,” Bucky scoffed and sat back in his chair with his arms crossed. Steve gave Bucky The Look™ and turned his attention back to Maggie. 

“Let’s start over. Someone asked you to Homecoming, and you want to go with them. Am I getting this right?” Steve asked, nodding for her to continue. Bucky grunted.

“Yeah. He’s a really nice guy, Da. I think you’d like him. He's really smart, too. We’re in the same Calc and AP Bio classes.” She looked to Bucky. “Pop?”

Bucky didn’t answer, didn't really even change his expression, but that damned knee didn’t stop bouncing. He took a long swig of his beer and looked at Steve. They had another one of their famous silent conversations as his jaw clenched and and relaxed. Finally, he looked at Maggie and in a calm, measured tone he spoke. 

“I'm sorry, Squirt, but absolutely not.”

Tears burned in Maggie’s eyes, threatening to fall. She looked down at her hands in her lap, absently cracking her knuckles. She was… well, devastated, like any other fifteen year old would be in her shoes. She wanted to argue, to  _ make him see _ that it was only a few weeks shy of their rule of her being sixteen. She knew it was no use, he wouldn’t listen anyway.

“Yes sir,” she managed in a quiet voice. 

“Buck-” Steve began but was cut off.

“We’ve already discussed this, Stevie. Not till she’s sixteen.” 

Steve decided to wait until they could discuss it alone. Bucky changed the subject and asked about Maggie’s day at school. Since the exciting parts of her day had centered around Homecoming with her group of friends, she stuck to generic answers.

“May I be excused? Aunty Nat said to soak in the bath because we conditioned so much today.”

Bucky nodded, “Hey, you know I love you, right?”

“I love you too, Pop.” 

Maggie smiled softly as she cleared her dishes. She stopped to kiss each of her fathers goodnight before heading across the apartment to her rooms. Steve watched their daughter disappear down the hall. Pride bloomed in his chest at the young woman she was growing into, and if there was any way he could change Bucky’s mind, he would.


	4. You're My Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Implied sexual content

When he heard Maggie’s door click shut, Bucky leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms again. He met Steve’s eyes defiantly. 

“Go on already. Lemme have it, I know you’re pissed.”

Steve took a breath, hoping this wouldn't turn into an all-out argument. Shockingly enough, they could both be the tiniest bit stubborn,  _ especially  _ when it came to Maggie. 

“I’m not pissed, I just…” he sighed. “It wouldn’t kill us to let her go. You gotta trust her a little more,” he began. 

Bucky’s head snapped back like he’d been slapped. “Now you’re just talkin’ crazy, Stevie. I trust _ her,” _ He shook his head. “She’s my baby girl and I’m not ready for that yet.”

“She’s _ our  _ baby girl, Buck, and she’s a young woman. Look, I don't want her growing up either,” he continued, “but you gotta hear her out a bit before just shuttin’ down, yeah? Now we don’t know a thing about this kid… not even his name. He might even be all right.”

“Yeah,” Bucky grunted, “and he might be a young Stark for all we know. You really wanna watch  _ that  _ happen?”

“Rather watch it happen and be there for her when it falls apart, than not be able to help her through it ‘cause she didn't talk to us,” Steve chided gently. “She’s a good kid, Buck, but she’s got a lotta you in her.”

Bucky’s shoulders relaxed as he saw the soft smile settle on Steve’s lips. Steve fondly remembered sneaking around with Bucky in the 30’s, they were such dumb kids, so in love. They could have had some real trouble too, if they were caught together like that. 

Bucky met Steve’s eyes and smiled back. Those memories were some of his most precious. Through a crooked little grin, Steve continued quietly, “I seem to remember a fella not bein’ entirely honest with his folks about what he was up to.” 

Bucky moved closer to Steve and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, holding his jaw tenderly. “I remember, baby doll. I’d have done anythin’ to make you happy, just to see you smile. Still would.”

Steve smiled up at him through his ridiculously long lashes. He knew he was playing dirty by pulling out his Sweet and Innocent Stevie Face, but he didn’t care. 

“Do this for me, Buck. Let’s at least meet the kid, yeah?”

Bucky sighed, his resolve crumbling by the second. How could he resist when Steve asked  _ like that? _

“Sixteen, Stevie. We agreed.”

Steve bit back a smile and crawled up onto Bucky’s lap, straddling his muscular thighs. 

“It’s not even two months difference, Buck. She’s practically there…” he begged. 

He ran his fingers through Bucky’s hair and tugged back, exposing the long line of Bucky’s throat. He pressed hot open mouth kisses down his jaw and lower to his neck, dragging his teeth across the skin over his pulse. 

“Come on,  _ please?” _

_ “Fuck, Stevie. _ You’re killin’ me here,” Bucky growled, his hands squeezing Steve’s hips possessively. 

_ “Mmhmm… _ ” Steve breathed into the shell of Bucky’s ear and kissed just behind it. “I can see how  _ hard  _ this is for you,” he smiled, grinding his hips down. 

Bucky met Steve’s lips in a heated, sensual kiss. His brain was completely shut off to all logic as his oldest, most ingrained instinct took over. Make. Steve. Happy. He’d do whatever Steve wanted as long as there was a smile in those bright blue eyes, shining right at him, only for him. Bucky was beyond fucked and he knew it. Steve would eventually get his way. Always did. All he ever had to do was ask. The fact that the very man Bucky’d been in love with since he was 13 years old was  _ riding him like a goddamned rodeo _ was irrelevant- but it certainly didn’t hurt.

Bucky stopped Steve and cupped his jaw gently. He looked into those brilliant blue eyes and basked in the warmth they brought to his soul. God, he loved this man so much. 

“We’ll do it, okay? For you, darlin’. Just so long as you know it’s ‘cause you want me to, not because of this. Yeah?” he asked, sliding his hands back down to Steve’s hips and squeezing to indicate their current position. “You don’t have to convince me like this.”

Steve’s lips curled into a natural, loving smile. He leaned down and kissed Bucky again, this time teasingly, again and again. 

“Maybe I’m just celebrating gettin’ my way, hmm?” he breathed against Bucky’s mouth before nipping playfully at his lips. 

Bucky growled out a moan and grabbed two handfuls of Steve’s ass, making Steve whimper. He picked him up and carried him to their room, stopping along the way to press him up against the wall in the hallway. He kissed Steve's neck hard, sucking marks into the soft, creamy skin and watching in awe as they faded just as quickly as they appeared. 

When they finally made it to their room, Bucky kicked their door shut behind himself and tossed Steve unceremoniously onto their bed. Steve let out an honest-to-god giggle as he bounced across the mattress. 

Bucky stripped himself of his shirt before prowling up to hover over the beautiful blond, taking in the magnitude of health and strength that was Steven Grant Rogers. He said a silent prayer of thanks to whatever God was listening that the frail, sickly kid he fell in love with all those decades ago had been enhanced so perfectly.

He kissed each of Steve’s hips and slowly lifted his shirt higher, exposing every ripple and dip of his flawless abs. Steve ran his long fingers through Bucky's hair again, lightly gripping the roots at the base of his skull and Bucky nipped at and kissed the skin he knew was extra sensitive; things you only know after taking the time and patience to learn what sets someone on fire.

Bucky pulled Steve up into a sitting position so he pull his shirt off properly. He balled it up and threw it over his shoulder, not giving a damn where it landed.

The love and desire in Bucky’s eyes was the same as when he looked at Steve their first time, back when he was all pale skin and gangly bones. Now was no different. Steve ducked his head and smiled tenderly up from under his lashes, a blush blooming on his cheeks. The way Bucky cherished him so unconditionally did that every time. Bucky crooked two fingers under Steve’s chin and raised his head so their eyes met. 

“I’m such a lucky bastard, Stevie. I don’t deserve you.”

Steve caught Bucky’s lips in a desperate kiss. With a pleading whimper he pulled Bucky down by his dog tags, wordlessly begging him to take his rightful place. Steve never felt more alive than he did with Bucky above him, pressing him down into the mattress. His long legs wrapped around Bucky’s thick torso, heavy with strength and stature. He sucked on Bucky’s bottom lip and nipped it lightly with his teeth. 

“I love you, Buck,” he vowed, “have since before I knew what love was.” 

Steve let Bucky guide his hands up and above his head, and hold them there with his metal hand. His warm hand traced a line down Steve’s neck, around his side and down to his hip. He slipped it just inside behind Steve's waistband and gripped a handful of flawless skin possessively. 

“Why do you put up with me, sugar?” Bucky rumbled into the shell of Steve’s ear, in between kisses, low and quiet and only for Steve.

“Because you’re my fire… and I’ve been cold my whole life,” Steve panted, writhing beneath Bucky, desperate for the kind of heat only his touch could bring. “Warm me up, Buck.  _ Please.” _

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last two paragraphs were inspired by: You’re My Fire- by A.R. Asher


	5. Breakfast

Bucky stood in the kitchen, freshly showered from his daily buttcrack-of-dawn run. He mixed the pancake batter in the bowl and spooned it out in perfect shapes, smiling to himself. 

“Mornin’ Pop,” Maggie yawned. She plodded sleepily out to the kitchen rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands and sniffed. “Somethin’ smells yummy.”

“Pancakes for ya, Squirt,” he called over his shoulder and Maggie plopped down at the kitchen island.  _ “So… _ Me and Da talked more last night.”

“Yeah?” Maggie asked curiously through another yawn. 

Bucky plated the pancakes in a precise order and turned to his daughter. He smiled and slid the plate down carefully. Pancakes spelling _ ‘I’m Sorry’  _ stared up at the teen. He leaned against the counter next to Maggie.

“What’s his name and when do we get to meet him?” 

“Really?” Maggie squeaked. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, thank you, Pop! His name’s Peter and you’re gonna love him, I know it!” 

He wrapped her in his arms and breathed in the smell of her hair. “Yeah, well… s’long as you’re still my baby,” he grumbled half heartedly.

“I see you told her.” 

Steve smiled at the two brunettes wrapped in each other’s arms. They parted halfway and held out their arms, inviting him in.

“Group hug!” Maggie demanded in the same way she’d always done when both her fathers were within arm’s reach. 

When they let go of each other, Maggie pulled away with a slightly confused look on her face. She’d always been the one to visit her friends’ houses, and very few people outside of SHIELD even knew the classified nature of her family. 

“Uh, how would that work, Pop? It’s not like I can just have friends over… Can I?” she asked.

Bucky looked to Steve and they shared another silent conversation. She was right. Maggie had grown up in one of the most secure buildings in the world. It wasn’t that simple.

“We’ll work out the logistics, Sweetheart. Don’t worry,” Steve reassured her and kissed the top of her head.


	6. StarBucky

After driving Maggie to Midtown Science Tech that morning, Steve and Bucky stopped for coffee. Bucky’s hair was still up in his man-bun, and he wore his holo-sleeve, disguising his metal arm. Steve was sporting his usual Brooklyn Dodgers cap and sunglasses. 

Out of long-ingrained habit, Bucky grabbed a table with good sightlines of the exits as Steve placed their order. Bucky assessed the cafe once more, noting the patrons and those on the street before he relaxed into the chair.

“What can I get going for you?” the Barista asked, not really paying attention. When she did look up, realization hit. Her jaw dropped the tiniest bit as she blinked up at the tall blond man with the unmistakable shoulders and chiseled jaw line.

“I- I'm sorry, sir. Can I help you?” she asked in a more professional tone. Steve simply acted natural, hoping the young woman would follow suit and do the same. 

“Hi,” he smiled. “Can I get a Venti Hot Pumpkin Spice Latte with extra whip and a Venti Dark Roast?” Steve still couldn’t believe Bucky, the Winter Soldier and Certified Badass™ of all people, went total basic white girl when it came to coffee.

“Can I get a name for the order, uh Captain? Sir?” the Barista asked cautiously, pretty damn certain, but not knowing for sure if she should assume.

“Steve is fine,” he smiled and answered softly. He paid for the order and dropped a generous amount in the tip jar, grateful for her discretion.

“Here’s your cuppa’ sugary crap, Buck,” Steve teased as he sat their cups down at the small table. “I can’t believe you call this coffee.”

“Whatever, Stevie. You drink old man coffee,” Bucky smirked and nodded at Steve’s cup. He reverently stroked the paper wrapper covering his own. “This shit helps make the 21st century bearable.” An obscene groan broke free as he swallowed his first drink of pumpkin spiced heaven.

“Should I give you two some privacy?” Steve arched his brow. 

Bucky snorted a laugh. He slid his hand over to Steve’s and covered it lovingly. They had a small, private moment of eye contact, sharing a look that said _ ‘I love you’  _ and  _ ‘I wouldn’t trade you for the world’. _

“How do you want to do this, baby?” Bucky asked after a few minutes of comfortable quiet.

Steve sighed. “We can use the same protocol Tony has for his parties, I guess. I’m more concerned with school. We’ll have to set up a meeting with her administrator.” 

They both shared an uneasy look. If kids at Maggie’s school knew who her parents were, that knowledge would put her at risk for being targeted by HYDRA, simply in order to get to the Avengers. It was a risk they had eliminated as completely as was possible from their daily lives, but this added a new layer of risk. Even before Maggie was born they knew this day would come, but that didn’t make either of them feel any better about it. 

Bucky squeezed Steve’s hand reassuringly. “We need to bring Natalia in on this.”

Steve nodded and sent a group text for a meeting. “Maria too. Might as well bring in the whole team.”


	7. Gotta Meet the Parents

Maggie walked into homeroom that morning with an excited pep in her step and took her seat next to her friend. She flashed a big smile and MJ narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

“You’re awful happy this early in the morning. What gives?”

“Oh, I talked to my parents yesterday,” Maggie sang quietly.

“No shit!” MJ blurted, earning her an indignant look from their teacher as he prepared to start the day. 

Maggie’s smile beamed a mile wide. “Pop was gonna make me wait until I’m sixteen, but this morning he had a change of heart.”

“Have you told him yet?”

“No!” Maggie whispered. “It just happened this morning, you’re the first to know.”

The teacher stood at the front of the class and the bell rang. Newsletters were passed from the front of the rows back and Maggie shrank back in her chair. She didn’t want to be called out for talking, but homeroom was just _ so boring. _

“Hey Pegs,” MJ called, quieter now and hoping to avoid the evil eye from the teacher. “Wanna go dress shopping this weekend?”

“I’m  _ so _ there!” Maggie answered and flashed another smile.

“Michele, Margaret, would you care to share your plans with the class?” the teacher asked over his reading glasses. Ugh. He was the worst.

“No thank you, sorry sir,” they replied in unison. When he continued attendance, MJ rolled her eyes and Maggie snorted back a laugh.

Maggie sat at her regular lunch table, waiting for her friends. A gentle pair of hands covered her eyes and someone whispered in her ear, “Guess who?”

She blushed and smiled as her eyes were uncovered and she was hugged lightly from behind. Peter sat down next to Maggie, straddling the bench and facing her. 

“Guess what Peter? I have good news!”

“Yeah? What’s that?” he asked, digging into his lunch bag.

“My parents said I can go to Homecoming.” Her eyes were bright but then she hesitated. “But there’s uhm, just one thing.” 

“One thing?” Peter asked, his brows raising. 

“They want to meet you first, but I’m not sure how to do that yet.”

It took a moment, but then Peter nodded. “Oh that’s right, they’re like, high level government officials, yeah? I’m sure it’ll be fine.” 

He couldn’t imagine it being worse than last year’s date with Liz. She was a great person, but her dad, now _that_ was a nightmare. Surely this was fine.

Maggie, being the enhanced little shit she is, picked up on Peter’s microexpressions and saw him frown the smallest bit. She narrowed her eyes curiously and cocked her head. 

“There something you’re not telling me Parker?”

“Huh?  _ No!  _ No, just running through some stuff in my head is all,” he said, bouncing his knee nervously and blushing the tiniest bit. And man, this girl really had him good. “Your ma got a favorite flower or somethin’?”

“Uh, no mom, but my godmother likes roses,” Maggie shrugged. “She lives downstairs from us, so you’ll probably meet her too.”

“Oh jeez, Maggie. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“No, it’s okay Peter. It’s not like, a bad thing…” she laughed nervously. “I actually have two dads.” Maggie hesitated, watching Peter’s reaction carefully. If he was even a little bit judgemental, she had some very strong words prepared for him. 

His brow furrowed in thought, and a surprised little shrug escaped through his shoulders. There was a little sparkle of curiosity in the soft brown of his eyes. 

“Two dads? Huh, that's cool. My parents died when I was little so I live with my aunt. She’s nice, though. Taught me how to dance, but don’t hold that against her,” he laughed.

The tension in Maggie’s shoulders relaxed and her smile returned. So far Peter was good with her family. So yeah, she _ really _ wanted to introduce him. Just then, MJ dropped into the seat across from Maggie and nodded. 

“Hey, ‘sup Pegs, Pete?”

Peter shook his head. “I get you callin’ me Pete, but Pegs?” he looked between the two girls.

MJ shrugged and motioned to Maggie with her sandwich. “Pegs here is badass. Look at that killer bone structure, like a 21st century Peggy Carter, don’t you think? Don’t let her fool you, she’s stronger than she lets on.  And her name _ is  _ Margaret, so...” 

She always had a feeling that’s why MJ called her ‘Pegs’, and she just acted like their similarities were coincidental. Truth be told, she did have Peggy’s identical facial bone structure. Combine that with Bucky's hair and Steve's bright blue eyes, and well,  _ viola. _ Maggie.

Peter took advantage of the opportunity and really  _ looked _ at Maggie while MJ spoke. She smiled shyly, a light blush blooming on her cheeks as she pulled a strand of hair to twirl with her left hand. Her stomach did a little flip and her senses were all heightened. 

Maggie sensed Ned as he walked over, and greeted him with a smile. “Hi Ned,” she called as she waved him over. And thank you, Ned for the perfect chance to take the focus off of Maggie.  MJ kicked her under the table and she all but squeaked when she jumped.

Ned made it a point to sit right next to MJ after he gave Peter their special handshake across the table. MJ scowled at Maggie and she snorted in amused satisfaction, because MJ and Ned were both crushing on each other. Maggie wondered if it would ever happen, since Ned was adorably shy and MJ was stubborn as a mule.

“You gonna join the Academic Decathlon Maggie?” Ned asked and Maggie crinkled her nose. 

“I dunno. Calc’s been rough, but I think I got it now. I finally ended up asking my uncle for help.”

“Oh yeah? He an engineer or somethin’?” Peter asked. 

“Yeah, something like that. He spends a lot of time in robotics... and research. He’s the self-proclaimed genius of the family.” Maggie rolled her eyes playfully.

“Well if he’s that smart, maybe he should be a guest coach for us, huh Cap?” Ned looked to MJ. It was up to MJ when they invited a guest coach, since she was the Captain of the team. She looked to Maggie and narrowed her eyes.

“You really should join the team, Pegs. We need a strong teammate, no offense, guys,” she held her hand up before they could feign offense to her comment. 

Maggie chewed her lip and nodded as she mulled it over. Their meetings were only once a week after school. She could probably swing it. 

“Let me talk to my parents, okay?” 

MJ rolled her eyes. “Well, don’t sit on it for two weeks like you did your last talk with them.” 

This time, it was Maggie’s turn to kick MJ under the table. 


	8. Logistics

When the door to the situation room opened, Steve and Bucky were met with curious expressions. The team was gathered but there were no files to review. Considering there were no imminent threats SHIELD was aware of, it didn’t exactly make sense.

“Everything all right guys?” Sam asked as Bucky and Steve sat to his left. 

He read their body language. They seemed somewhat relaxed, yet here they were. All it did was put him further on alert. His eyes darted to Natasha, who sat quietly like a bored cat in the sunlight, giving away nothing.

“We’re good, Sam,” Steve said and clasped his friend’s shoulder. “We just wanted to talk to everyone about Maggie, maybe get your help on a few things.”

Tony perked up, the protective uncle surfacing immediately. “What happened, is she okay? Did someone hurt her?”  

Natasha smirked. “You really think I’d allow that, Tony? I’ve been sparring with her full strength for three months now. Trust me, she can handle herself.”

“At full what now?” Steve interrupted, his brows flying up in shock. Had their daughter really been going toe to toe with the Widow  _ already?  _ Natasha shrugged and shot Steve an unimpressed arched brow.

“Focus, Stevie.” 

Bucky leaned in and softly patted Steve’s thigh to bring him back to the matter at hand. Steve shook his head and mentally filed Natasha’s comment for a later discussion. They were definitely talking about this again. He shook his head the slightest bit- to Natasha’s amusement- and refocused.

“Maggie’s almost sixteen, and we’ve decided to let her go on a date to Homecoming in two weeks. We’re gonna have the kid over to meet him.” No sooner had Steve taken a breath, than everyone else jumped in with their two cents. 

“Naw, man. Just... naw!” Sam sulked back into his chair and frowned. How were Steve and Bucky both so okay with this?

Tony’s jaw dropped and he silently grabbed fists full of hair like he’d just lost the ultimate round of DUM-E hoops. He reasoned internally that it was dementia, it had to be. Their age finally caught up with them. Yep, that was it.

“Most excellent! This deserves a feast in celebration of young Margaret’s womanhood,” Thor proclaimed loudly and Bucky died a little inside _.  _

After Thor spoke, Tony regained the use of his words. He promptly blurted out, “Fuck you Point Break!”

Pietro caught on quickly to Bucky’s discomfort and tried his best to stifle a laugh. Wanda elbowed her twin before smiling warmly at Steve and Bucky. “She is a responsible young woman and you should be proud.” 

Bruce sat misty-eyed, cleaning his glasses with a small smile on his lips. 

Natasha leaned over to Clint and began outlining the logistics of the campus and staff at Maggie’s school. 

Maria observed the room, looked to Steve and spoke loudly over the chaos. She called everyone back to attention. 

“All right. Listen up, people. We need to talk to her school. Having only the one agent in their office isn’t going to cut it once this gets out.” Maria touched her StarkPad and shit flew up into the air above the table, a blueprint hologram of the school. “I want to add two agents to the grounds. Suggestions?”

“Homeschooling,” Tony groaned. He thunked his head on the table and covered the back of his neck with his forearms, rolling his forehead against the cool glass surface. The position looked oddly familiar.

Natasha glared and shot a rubber band across the table, hitting him square on the crown of his head. “Suck it up, Tony. You need to pay attention.”

He scowled at her and ran his hands through his hair again, this time calming the strands the fuck down. “Start with the current security protocols, J.” More shit flew up from Tony’s StarkPad and into the air next to Maria’s holograms. Data outlining standard procedures for fire and natural disaster, airborne illness, terrorism and global attacks streamed in front of the group. “Not bad,” Tony nodded. “Just a few tweaks to their alert systems and on school grounds. Totally do-able.”

“And here?” Bucky asked. “I want her friends set up for access to our place.”

“I can do you one better, Buck-o,” Tony answered and Bucky internally seethed at the nickname. “The level above your floor and under my labs is empty. How about we take up a nice corner of that for her, a teen lounge sound good?” His face morphed into a sadistic smile, which was more Bucky’s speed than Tony’s, to be honest. He continued, “that way, any little fucker tries something funny, we’ll be closest so we can kill him first.”

Steve laughed at Tony’s sudden blood-thirst. “That would be great, thank you Tony.”

“Just- don’t go too crazy on it, Tony. Please?” Bucky added. He and Steve worked hard to raise Maggie with a level head on her shoulders. Which, by the way, wasn’t easy considering the amount of spoiling that would happen if Mr. Billionaire-Genius-Playboy-Philanthropist-Favorite Uncle had  _ his  _ way. 

“We’ll need to vet everyone, not just her friends. There are only a small handful of students enrolled I have concerns about,” Maria looked to Clint and Natasha.

“On it,” they spoke in unison.


	9. Dinner, Take Two

“Maggie, dinner’s ready,” Steve called out.

“Be right there, Da! Almost done with my last problem,” he heard her yell from her room.The dining table was lit with candles and the lights were dimmed. He shot a smile in Bucky’s direction as they set the plates down. Maggie stopped short when she reached the main living space. 

“Uhm, is there a special occasion? Again?”

Bucky patted the table, nodding for Maggie to sit. “We got some good news for ya.” 

“What’s the scoop?” she asked as she plopped down and placed her napkin in her lap. Bucky nodded for Steve to begin. 

“Pop, Aunty Nat and I are meeting with your school superintendent Friday afternoon. We’ll read her in on our family, and you’ll begin using your given name next week once the records are amended.” 

Maggie paused, her fork midway to her mouth and blinked. Her eyes shifted between her parents. She didn’t know what to say, it was a lot to take in. She was nervous and excited at the same time.

“We can’t have you invite people over if you’re still classified, Squirt. This way, it’s out in the open,” Bucky added. “And I wanna meet that kid Friday night.  _ Krestnaya _ can come over too and we’ll have pizza or something.”

“Have him bring his Aunt too,” Steve suggested.

“His Aunt?” 

Bucky’s lips curled into a devious little smirk. “That’s not gonna stop me from intimidatin’ him, Stevie.” 

“Buck!” Steve chastised playfully. “Not helpin’.”

“What’d I do?” he raised his hands innocently, both the flesh one and the Murderous Metal one.

“Wait, wait, go back,” Maggie shook her head. “How do you know about his Aunt?”

“I know it doesn't seem like I always listen, baby, but I do. There's only one Peter in both your Calc and AP Bio classes. He’s been cleared.” Bucky covered Maggie’s hand reassuringly. 

She nodded slowly, realizing this was already done.  _ Of course it was. _ She made a mental note to thank her godmother for the  _ freaking _ heads up later.

“Talk to your friend and we’ll send a car for ‘em, yeah?” Bucky sat back with a satisfied sigh, looking forward to having a few seconds alone with the kid soon. “And eat your dinner, it’s gettin’ cold.”

“I was gonna ask Aunty Nat if we could go dress shopping Saturday with MJ. Her parents are still out of town and her brother’s being a butt and won’t take her.” Maggie looked to Steve, then back to Bucky.

“I’m sure she’d love to take you guys shopping,” Steve smiled. “Let us know what she says. We’ve got a few things to take care of this weekend too.” 

“Oh yeah? Work stuff?” 

“Nope, it’s a surprise,” Steve smiled and resumed eating his dinner.

“I actually have something to ask you guys,” Maggie mumbled through a bite of salad, her hand covering her mouth. “There’s a club that meets after school once a week. For the Academic Decathlon? It’s in DC every year.”

Steve nodded, waiting for the question.

“Can I join?” she asked. “That would mean me going to DC in the spring.”

_ “Going to D-” _ Bucky began loudly but stopped himself. He took a breath and looked at Steve, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. Calmer, he asked, “You got chaperones or somethin’ for this trip?”

“Uhm, yeah. And they have guest coaches sometimes, based on their fields of expertise. When I told them my uncle was kindof an engineer, they asked if he could help out.”

Steve looked down and smiled. Here he was, looking for a way to get one of them to chaperone, and Maggie already figured that out. She definitely inherited Captain America’s strategic planning skills. Because, no way was she going away without one of them yet. Apparently Tony was up at bat… and if Captain America and the Winter Soldier- two highly decorated national heroes- just happened to have business in the nation’s capital at the same time? Well how convenient would that be?

After Maggie packed up her school things, she flopped down on her bed. She hadn’t been able to eat much of her dinner that night because of her nerves. Peter was on her mind with the way he kept looking at her. It sounded corny as hell, but if she had to describe it, he was  _ gazing.  _

She brought up her last text conversation with Peter and re-read it, smiling to herself as she did so.  _ She really liked him. _ He was different than the rest of the guys. Yeah, he was smart, kind and didn’t let that idiot Flash drag him down to his level, but there was something else, too. Maggie respected him. And aside from the butterflies that were currently beating her insides to death, something about Peter put her at ease. And yeah, the fact that she thought he was hot as hell didn’t hurt either.

Maggie: Can u and ur aunt come over for dinner Friday?

Maggie: Nothing fancy just pizza and games

Peter: ...

Peter: She said yeah, send me ur address

Maggie: I’m in the city- my parents said they wanted to send a car

Peter: ...

Maggie: That ok?

Peter: I’m in Queens so that’s probably better

Maggie: See you in the morning

Peter: Sleep well ;)


	10. Nerves

Maggie: So… Shopping Saturday still?

MJ: Hells yeah!

Maggie: We can get u at Noon

MJ: Aww big bro missin out **:(**

Maggie: Thank God for that LOL

MJ: Ur dads?

Maggie: Godmother **:)**

MJ: Ooh I get 2 meet the fairy godmother 

Maggie: Nerd 

MJ: See u soon

Maggie put her phone away and looked out the window. Things were changing fast. She was excited, but her nerves were starting to get the best of her.

“Big day, huh?” Happy asked Maggie through the rear view mirror.

“You heard?” Maggie asked and Happy nodded. “Hey Happy?”

“Yeah?” he nodded to indicate he was listening.

Her brow furrowed and she started twirling a lock of hair. “Are people going to think I’m weird?”

Happy looked closer at her reflection. “What makes you say that?”

She shrugged. “All the secrecy and stuff. What if people treat me different?”

“Then you’ll know exactly who the assholes are.” Maggie snorted a laugh at his tone. “If they treat you different, they aren’t worth your time anyway, kid.” 

They pulled up outside the school and Maggie paused before collecting her things.

“Hey Happy?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“Can you tell me how you really feel?” she teased and hugged him around the neck before getting out of the car.

“Have a nice day, smart ass!” he called after her.


	11. The Tower?

Peter looked at his aunt nervously as they rode quietly down in the elevator. The sounds of crinkling from the cellophane wrapped around the colorful roses was amplified. His senses were on overload because he was nervous, and he was close to freaking out. 

May smiled at him, a reassuring look on her classically beautiful face. “Breathe, Peter. It’s just pizza.” 

He huffed a nervous laugh and looked down. “I really like her, May. She’s somethin’ special.”

May smiled at him wistfully. “You’re so much like your dad. I know he’d be proud of you.” She drew him into a quick hug and then ran her fingertips across his hairline, fussing absently with his hair.  

The driver waited outside for them and opened the door as they approached. She greeted them politely, “Ms. Parker, Mr. Parker. Good evening,” she nodded at May and then to Peter. They climbed into the back seat and exchanged a humorous look at the way the swanky car attracted attention in front of their modest Queens apartment.

Once they were on their way, May made friendly conversation with the driver. “So, do you work with the Alianova family often?” she asked.

The woman paused a moment to remember the name Maggie used at school but recovered quickly. She smiled, “I drive Miss Maggie occasionally, but usually I assist other tenants in the tower.”

May met Peter’s eyes and raised her brow in curiosity.  

“I- I’m sorry, did you say tower?” Peter leaned forward and asked, his eyes wide. The only building he knew of called the ‘The Tower’ was Avenger’s Tower, and _excuse him_ if he fangirled over it, okay?

“Yes, many large buildings in the City have both business and residence levels,” she answered with deliberate vagueness. 

Peter shook his head slightly, mostly to himself. He was reading too much into this, it had to be the nerves.  _ Get it together, Parker. _ No way was he going to _ that  _ tower. May arched a questioning brow and patted him on the knee. 

She whispered, “Breathe, remember?” 

Peter’s phone vibrated and he looked down to see a text from Maggie.

Maggie: R u as nervous as me?

Peter smiled and exhaled a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He didn’t want Maggie to feel anxious, so he dragged up what little was left of his bravado. To make Maggie feel better, he borrowed May’s words.

Peter: Yeah- but just breathe... it’ll be nice to meet your family

Peter: BTW May is loving this car, she’s BFFs with the driver already **;)**

Maggie: LOL see u soon **:)**

Peter looked out the windows, and straight up. The city looked different from his perspective on the ground. There had only been a handful of times he’d been to Manhattan, and most times he’d traveled by web. 

Closer, they drove, heading toward the building with the giant glowing A on the side. When the driver turned into an underground garage attached to that same building, Peter silently gasped. He then promptly made a fool of himself when he choked on his own saliva.

May patted his back, “Oh, gosh! Are you okay Peter?”

“We’ve reached our destination,” the driver announced through the smile she valiantly tried to hold back. She pulled into a reserved parking space close to the elevator before opening the door for May and Peter.

The three entered the lift and took it to the Lobby level. Once there, the driver escorted them to a security desk. “The Parker family is here for Miss Maggie,” she told the guard and then turned back to shake May’s hand. “Just have them call down when you’re ready to return home. Have a good evening.”

May thanked her as she shook her hand before meeting Peter’s still stunned eyes. 

The guard issued them each a visitor badge. “This will allow you to access the lounge and any non-restricted levels. Use elevator 12, it will take you directly there. Your hosts are expecting you.”

Once in the elevator, Peter expelled word-vomit all over May. “Holy shit, May! This is insane! Maggie lives in Avengers Tower? But her last name’s Alianova, there’s no Avengers named Alianova-”

“Peter!” May cut in, gripping his shoulders. “Calm down! I’m sure they’re nice people. Okay?  _ People. _ ” 

He bent forward and rested his hands on his knees. His mind was reeling. May didn't understand... What if Tony Stark saw him? Was Maggie somehow related to him? He wouldn’t say anything about Spider Man in front of her, would he? May didn’t know about it and Peter wanted to keep it that way,  _ thank you very much.  _

The elevator stopped but didn’t open. An pleasant but unexpected voice sounded.  _ ‘Mr. Parker, you have arrived at the lounge level. Are you ready to proceed or do you need another moment?’ _

Peter straightened up; he and May both looked around. “Uh, who said that?” he asked.

_ ‘Begging your pardon, my name is Jarvis. I am Mr. Stark’s AI and I run the building,’  _ Jarvis replied politely.  _ ‘Should you need anything, just simply say ‘Jarvis’ and then state your request. I am at your service as long as you are in the Tower.’ _

May blinked her wide eyes at Peter. “AI? That’s a thing?” she gaped. That time it was Peter’s turn to reassure her.

“Yeah, May. We’re working on building one at school, too.” She shook her head in disbelief. Things like AI made her feel old.

_ ‘Excuse me, Ms. Parker, Mr. Parker. Are you prepared to exit the lift?’ _ Jarvis asked delicately.

“Oh! Right, uh Jarvis?” May laughed nervously.

_ ‘Yes ma’am.’ _

She nodded to Peter and he ran his hands through his hair before jumping in place and shaking the nerves out of his neck and shoulders. He huffed out a breath and said, “Yeah, we’re ready. Thanks, Jarvis.”

The lift doors opened and there was a sign on the wall indicating the direction to the lounge. It simply read “Lounge” and had an arrow. They rounded the corner and Peter stopped short when they entered. He blinked, at a loss for words. In the lounge, there sat Maggie, snuggled up against Captain America, with the Winter Soldier and Black Widow right across from them.

When Maggie looked up and saw Peter, she broke into a bright smile. Peter’s heart did a little flip. It was the same smile that knocked the air straight out of his lungs every time he saw it, and this was no different. “Peter!” she called and came over to him. She met him with a hug and held her hand out to introduce herself to May.

“Hi Maggie, I’ve heard so much about you,” May smiled and Maggie ended the handshake with a hug. She was a total hugger, always had been. May looked to Peter and noticed he had frozen, likely due to the two Super Soldiers that stood in front of them.

“Uhm, Ms. Parker, Peter, these are my parents,” Maggie nodded to her fathers. 

“Call me May, sweetie. I already feel old,” she joked with Maggie.

“Uh, Ca- Captain America,” Peter stuttered out quietly. 

Steve nodded to Peter and took May’s hand, smiling warmly. “Steve Rogers, it’s nice to meet you May.”

May looked between Maggie and her two dads. “Well, it’s nice to meet you too!” she said with her nervous laugh and a big smile. 

“Peter,” Steve nodded again then shook Peter’s hand as he managed to close his half open mouth. 

Bucky introduced himself to May. “James Barnes, ma’am.” He nodded to Peter and stuck out his hand to the young man. Peter’s brain finally seemed to return to functioning status because he stuttered out, “Uh-hello, Mr. Barnes. It’s nice to meet you.” Bucky began a handshake standoff for a few seconds as he held onto Peter’s hand and eyed the boy.

_ “Pop,” _ Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes before Bucky let Peter’s hand go.

Peter held out the flowers to Maggie. “These are, uh, for your godmother.” 

Just then, Natasha called over from the bar where she had the fresh pizza and plates set up. “Well bring ‘em on over to me then, so I can get them into some water.” She smiled at the group and joined them.

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Natasha,” she said to May with a warm smile. Her smile stayed but her eyes turned calculating as she looked at Peter. She arched a perfect red brow and nodded to Peter, “Those are beautiful.”   
He held the flowers out to her and cleared his throat. His mouth had gone dry from gaping at the  _ freaking _ Avengers, so sue him. 

Maggie smiled nervously. It was getting weird just like she was afraid it would.  _ “Krestnaya?”  _ she asked quietly and tugged on Natasha’s sleeve. 

“Come on in, please. Can I get you something to drink, May?” Natasha asked. When she went behind the bar and held up a bottle of craft beer and a bottle of Cabernet.

“Wine sounds great, thanks.”

Bucky and Steve each grabbed a beer and Maggie got sodas for her and Peter. The six of them sat in a loose circle on the various sofas and Natasha winked at Maggie. “So Peter, tell us about yourself. What do you do for fun?”

“Uh, well I like to work on electronics. Our school has a shop department we can use even after hours. It’s pretty cool.” 

“You and Maggie in the same classes?” Bucky asked, trying his best to shave the scary edge off of his voice. If he went full Soldier on the kid he’d never hear the end of it from Steve _ or  _ Maggie. Well, that, and the kid’s aunt seemed nice. She was a bit of a spitfire, and Bucky respected that.

“Yeah, Calc and AP Bio. I’m a Junior, so it’s just the two classes we have together.” 

Bucky grunted when he remembered the kid was older. Great.  _ Just fucking fabulous. _

Maggie joined in. “We’ll be in club together too, for the Academic Decathlon.”

“You’re gonna join?” Peter’s face lit up. “That’s awesome, Maggie! You’re crazy smart.”

Steve smiled. He liked the way the kid looked at Maggie, and appreciating her intelligence earned him major brownie points. 

“What’s this, a party without me?” Tony asked as he entered the room. He and Peter both froze the minute they saw each other. Maggie looked between them and narrowed her eyes. Bucky recognized her reaction, she looked exactly like Natasha when she did that.

“Uncle Tony?” 

“Sorry, Peanut- just had an idea. Gotta grab ‘em while they’re hot,” he shrugged, gesturing to his head. 

Lies. 

He walked directly to May and sat next to her, trying to play it off. “We’ve met, right?”

May nodded as she finished a sip of wine. “The internship, Peter submitted a project proposal last year and he won.”

“Ah, the famous Aunt May,” Tony charmed. “That’s right, how could I forget?” His eyes moved to his teammates to see if anyone else picked up on his reaction to Peter. They were the  _ goddamned Avengers, _ so yeah, the cat was out of the proverbial bag.

_ “Natalia, kakoy eto byl trakh?” _ Bucky asked.

She smiled politely at Peter and May before answering,  _ “Eto tol’ko vopros vremeni, Yasha.” _

_ “Pop, Krestnaya, Vesti sebya. Pozhaluysta.” _ Maggie begged. She shifted her gaze to Peter and May who were watching curiously and smiled. “Sorry, it’s nothing.”

Peter blinked. “What was that, Russian? You speak Russian?” 

A blush warmed Maggie’s cheeks and she nodded, “Yeah, I speak French and Spanish too, but I’m just starting German at school. Languages are kinda my thing.”  After a beat of silence, she cocked her head and shifted her eyes to Tony. “Would you like some pizza, Uncle Tony?” 

Tony knew that look. It meant she needed to talk to him,  _ now.  _ Which meant he was in trouble,  _ now. _ He sighed and dropped his head. 

“When have you ever known me to refuse?” 

They both walked to the counter, and Maggie whispered harshly, _ “Que diable était-ce? Tu ne me dis pas quelque chose.” _ He only shrugged in reply. “Pop and Aunty Nat are already onto you. Don’t make this weirder than it already is.” 

“We’ll talk after dinner, okay? All of us. Don’t worry it’ll be fine,” Tony whispered back casually.  _ “Je promets.”  _

He turned back to the group with his usual charming smile. “Who’s up for some Cut Throat?” he asked and nodded toward the pool tables. 

It turns out May was very good at pool, having worked at a billiards bar throughout college. She quickly beat Tony out of $300 before he stopped betting against her. The chemistry between her and Tony was obvious, and May quickly became comfortable with the group.

But Peter? He was another story. If he thought dating the daughter of the Vulture was tough… then lying to an entire room filled with  _ mother freaking _ Avengers who just happened to be the family of a girl he was crazy about- that was an all new fresh hell. He excused himself to the restroom and splashed his face with cold water.

“Come on, man. Get it together,” he told the kid in his reflection. He practiced some breathing techniques he’d googled quickly on his phone, and they sort of helped. Well, not really, but that’s what he didn’t tell himself wouldn’t hurt. 

When he joined the rest in the lounge, Maggie came over to him. “You wanna get some air?” she asked, knowing something wasn’t right.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s a good idea.” Maggie led him to the patio and and they exited the large glass doors into the chilly early October evening. 

They stood next to each other quietly, both facing the railing. Peter looked over, down to the never sleeping city below and took a big breath. 

“I uh, I should probably tell you somethin’, Maggie.” He looked over his shoulder at the adults laughing and carrying on so well. “I think you’re gonna find out anyway but I’d like you to hear it from me first.”

Maggie’s soft smile fell. Her bright blue eyes darted to Peter’s soft brown ones and she furrowed her brow. “Are you okay?” Her stomach sank. She was afraid her family had chased him away, that he didn’t want to take her to Homecoming anymore. It was probably too weird for him, and this was him letting her down easy.

“Me? Yeah, yeah. It’s- I mean nothin’s wrong, it’s just…” he took another breath. “You heard of Spider Man?” he asked.

Maggie rolled her eyes and smiled the little smirk she inherited from Bucky. “Of course, silly. Why?”

“Well, I’ve met your Uncle before, Mr. Stark? You know, the internship?” Peter continued. Thanks to the nerves, his senses were dialed up to eleven and he’d heard Tony tell her they’d talk later. He was bouncing around off topic, but only because he really wanted her to understand everything. 

Maggie wondered if she’d have _ any _ friends left once news of her family all got out, thinking he’d already gotten a taste of Tony and the whole of the Avengers was more than he’d bargained for.

“I understand, Peter. It’s too much,” she said quietly. 

“Too much?” Peter asked and the look on her face said it all. He looked inside and then to her. “No! No, that’s not it at all. You think I don’t wanna go with you anymore?” He gently tugged her elbow so they were facing each other. He bent down to meet her eyes and smiled reassuringly. “Hey, are you kidding me right now Maggie? You’re the best girl I know... You’re smart, and funny, and you’re really pretty…”

She blushed and looked up at him through her long fan of eyelashes, asking quietly, “You think I’m pretty?”

Peter huffed out a nervous laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. Come on, you know you’re beautiful.” Peter smiled wide and shook his head. “Anyone doesn’t see that, they gotta be blind.”

They quieted, both too shy to speak any further. Each turned back to the railing and stood quietly, until Maggie broke the silence. “What’s Spider Man got to do with my Uncle Tony and your internship?” 

When she said it out loud, it finally clicked. She narrowed her eyes at Peter. It hadn’t made sense until now. Peter, he’d gone to the Academic Decathlon last year. The team was all in the elevator of the Washington Monument except MJ and Peter. But MJ told her that he was nowhere around outside, and then Spider Man showed up and saved everyone.

Tony and Peter  _ knew _ each other. Maggie could tell by the immediate and instantaneous panic on both their faces when Tony walked in. It was more than a casual internship. 

She breathed in deeply, “It’s you, isn’t it?” Her eyes were wide and her lips parted a tiny bit. She took a step back, seeing him from a totally different perspective. 

_ It all made so much sense now. _

“Okay, but listen,” Peter begged, his hands out and open as he plead. “It’s not what you think.”

“Did you know?” she demanded.

“Know what? About this?” he motioned with his hand to the tower and the Avengers inside.

“Yes, Peter, this!” she huffed. She crossed her arms and kicked out her hip, stomping her foot the tiniest bit. “You said you know my uncle, is that why you asked me to Homecoming? To get a better in, with  _ them?”  _ She pointed angrily at the Avengers inside.

“What? No! Maggie, I swear, I didn’t know.” He looked between her and through the windows, to his aunt. “May doesn’t know,” he said quietly, desperately. “She’d freak out if she knew.”

Maggie huffed stubbornly and looked back inside, then turned back to the railing. After a few horrifying moments of uncertainty for Peter, Maggie spoke. 

“Okay,” she said softly, the rigidity in her shoulders softening.

“Okay?” Peter asked, hesitant because of the change in her tone.

“Yeah, okay. I won’t say anything. I understand, Peter,” meeting his eyes, she melted at the relief in them. 

“Thanks, Maggie.”

She simply smiled her reply. Her silence wasn’t because she was upset, she was just still processing. Tony was right, she’d never be normal.

“So, will you still go with me?” Peter asked carefully and nudged her arm with his. “Please?”

She grinned and nudged him back. “Of course I will.” 

Maggie turned and threw her arms around Peter’s neck. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed in the scent of her hair. His heart was pounding right out of his chest and his mind was spinning.  _ Boy, did he have it bad for her. _

Bucky cleared his throat directly behind them. They both jumped and let go of each other, blushing furiously. 

_ “Krestnaya  _ wants you, Squirt.” He came closer and lightly rested his metal hand on Peter’s shoulder and motioned with his head for Maggie to go inside.

As she kissed his cheek, she whispered, _ “Ya lyublyu tebya, Pop.” _

Bucky smiled as she left, a mixture of pride in his daughter and hatred for that  _ damned boy  _ were simultaneously battling for dominance in his chest. His eyes turned cold and calculating when her looked back to Peter. He saw the kid swallow nervously over the lump that was forming in his throat.  _ Good. _

“The details of our family have been classified for almost sixteen years, now. It’s for Maggie’s protection. Do you understand?” he asked. His ice-blue eyes bored into the kid's skull. “I’m putting a lot of trust in you by letting you be the first one in on this.”

Peter shook his head. “Yeah, uh, I mean yes. Sir. I understand,” the kid stuttered. His eyes kept darting between Bucky’s metal hand on his shoulder and the enormous super soldier looming above him.

Bucky narrowed his eyes again. “What?” he grunted.

“Uh, nothin’, just. Well, you have a metal arm,” Peter gushed.

“Yeah, what of it?” Bucky dared him.

Peter looked to the hand again and broke out in a big grin. “That’s so cool!” 

Now  _ that,  _ that reaction was the one Bucky wasn’t expecting. He threw his head back in a loud laugh, patting the kid on the shoulder and releasing him. “You’re alright, kid,” he laughed again. He drew the kid under his flesh arm and jostled him as they walked back inside, much like he used to do with Steve before he’d gone all stupid and let someone experiment on his scrawny ass.

**Russian**

_ Kakoy eto byl trakh? =  _ What the fuck was that?

_ Eto tol’ko vopros vremeni, Yasha.  _ = It’s only a matter of time, James.

_ Vesti sebya. Pozhaluysta? =  _ Behave. Please?

**French**

_ Que diable était-ce? Tu ne me dis pas quelque chose. =  _ What the hell was that? You’re not telling me something.

_ Je promets. =  _ I promise.

**Russian**

_ Ya lyublyu tebya =  _ I love you


	12. Not a TED Talk, a Tony Talk

After Peter and May left, Steve, Bucky and Natasha looked to Tony expectantly for him to read them in. Whispering to Maggie that they’d talk later didn’t ensure _ any _ privacy, considering the room was filled with a world renowned spy and two genetically enhanced super soldiers. Tony, true to his infuriatingly abrasive personality, casually wandered behind the bar to pour himself another drink. 

Bucky was losing his patience.  _ Fast.  _

“What the fuck is it you have to say, Stark?” he demanded and Maggie winced. There were times when Bucky and Tony went at it like mortal enemies and she absolutely hated it.

“Uncle Tony,” she began with a slight warning in her tone. She raised her brows at him. “No time like the present, we’re all here.” 

He huffed as he set down the glass on the bar with a  _ ‘clink’. _ “It’s the kid. I know you all picked up on it… That I knew him?” he began vaguely.

This time Steve was getting impatient. He didn’t like the team keeping secrets,  _ especially _ where Maggie was concerned. “Tony,” he said in his best Captain America Is Done With Your Shit voice. “If you have something to say, do it  _ now.” _

Tony hesitated as he looked to Maggie. She simply nodded. “It’s okay Uncle Tony, I know.”

“What do you mean you know? _ How?” _ Tony demanded, voice rising in frustration, though not at Maggie. He thought he’d at least  _ c _ onvinced the kid to learn from his own mistakes,  _ Jesus.  _ So many problems began right after his ‘I am Iron Man’ stunt.

“He told me!” Maggie snapped defensively, louder than she intended as she crossed her arms.

“Margaret, watch your tone,” Bucky warned, then glared at Tony. “What are you hiding?”

Tony blurted, “The kid's Spider Man, okay?” He threw back a glass of scotch and continued, “I’ve been working with him... mentoring, so to speak.”

“You’ve been what?” Steve hollered, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline and he gestured wildly. “Did you tell him about Maggie? Did he know?”

Tony held up his hands in defense. “Woah! I didn’t tell him anything about her, I didn’t even know they knew each other! You had me go over the security protocols, not the student body! That task was given to the two  _ spies, remember?” _

“How the hell did this not come up on our review?” Steve demanded. And  _ holy shit, _ if they missed something this big, what else were they missing?

“It didn’t come up because I’ve kept the kid  _ off the record,” _ Tony snarked and rolled his eyes. 

The air went right out of Maggie’s proverbial sails. She looked to Natasha, who nodded at her in reassurance. Natasha moved arbitratively to stand between Steve, Bucky and Tony, raising her hands. 

“I think we need to hear Maggie’s side of this,” Natasha suggested and nodded to the teen. 

“Peter just told me outside. He didn’t want it to come from anyone else,” she added. “He’s been honest with me. No offense, guys, but this doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

“Listen, Peanut. I know you like the kid, but do you really have to  _ date _ him?” Tony asked, running his hands through his hair.

Steve scowled. “What’s wrong with him, Tony? You got a reason she _ shouldn’t  _ date him?” He kicked out his hip and crossed his arms with his foot planted. And honestly, it was like looking at a giant version of Maggie.

Tony shook his head and huffed out a breath. “He’s smart. Whip smart. And he cares about people. Wants to save the world.” Tony shrugged, looking between Steve and Bucky. “Kid’s got big dreams.”

_ “And…”  _ Natasha prompted, waving her hand for more. She was still waiting for the reason Maggie shouldn’t date the kid. So far, he seemed perfect for her. 

“Sometimes he wants to help too much,” Tony shrugged. 

_ “Wow,  _ Uncle Tony. He sounds just  _ awful,” _ Maggie snarked. 

He shot her a look that said,  _ zip it, kid.  _ “What if by trying to be a hero, he puts you in danger?”

Maggie, true to her fifteen year old self, hadn’t thought about that possibility. Suddenly she felt bad for sassing her uncle when he was just trying to protect her. 

“Perhaps this is a good time for an update on Maggie’s training,” Natasha interrupted. 

Steve’s face screwed up in confusion for a second, but then he nodded. Natasha  _ had _ recently mentioned training Maggie at full strength for the past few months, and Maggie  _ was _ coming home exhausted and sore more often than not.

“How ready is she, Natalia?” 

“Ready for what?” Maggie interrupted.

Bucky looked to his baby girl. “Ready to train with  _ us.” _


	13. Sparring

The next morning the whole team gathered to watch Maggie spar with Natasha.  _ Nope, no pressure, Mags. _

Around the Tower and at school, Maggie always dressed conservatively. Hoodies and leggings were her go-to fashion choice, so when the group saw the muscle definition in the leggings and sports bra she fought in, they were surprised to say the least. She was the same height as Natasha and though she lacked the curves of a grown woman’s figure, Maggie had a strong, compact, lithe frame complimented by natural speed and agility.

Maggie and Natasha had been going at it for over twenty minutes straight. They moved across the mat with a dangerously hypnotic and lightning fast gracefulness. Maggie effectively broke free of Natasha’s Killer Thighs and rolled into a superior position pinning the redhead to the floor. Natasha broke free just as everyone thought she might tap out and the two began again, resuming their initial fight stance facing each other. 

The onlookers winced and gasped throughout the exhibition, knowing exactly what the blows delivered by the Widow felt like- all from personal experience. The respect for Maggie’s skill was evident on all their faces, and Steve and Bucky both beamed with pride.

Natasha charged Maggie, bowling her over and Maggie tucked, letting her godmother roll past her. After kipping up from the floor, Maggie spun and answered with a beautiful series of heavy-hitting kicks and punches, landing a few directly to Natasha’s abdomen. Natasha replied with blocks, a hold and then flipped Maggie flat onto her back. An exhausted  _ “Oomph”  _ escaped the girl’s lungs as she landed and stilled to catch her breath. Seconds later, they returned to their starting positions, both panting and covered in sweat.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Steve called. 

Maggie and Natasha hugged it out and then Maggie promptly flopped onto the ground, laying on her back with her arms spread and legs bent. Natasha grabbed the water bottles and handed Maggie hers before she sat down next to her and began unwrapping her hands.

_ “Otlichno, Milaya,”  _ Natasha praised, patting Maggie’s sweaty stomach. “Next time keep on me with the strikes. Don’t be afraid of hurting me.”

_ “Da, spasibo,”  _ Maggie smiled over at her. She looked up at her fathers when they walked onto the mat. She met Steve’s bright blue eyes with her own and blushed at the look of pride on his face. Bucky’s eyes were misty with the myriad of emotions he was fighting... Pride in his daughter, mourning for the little girl with chubby cheeks that used to hold his hand everywhere they went, and excitement for the new possibilities that awaited his baby girl.

“You did great Squirt,” he praised. “So proud of you.”

Maggie sat up with Steve’s help, as he pulled her upright and into a group hug. “Stretch it out, Sweetheart. I know you’re tired but you gotta stretch while you’re warm, okay?” 

Stretching remained one of Steve’s favorite parts of post-battle exhaustion. As a kid with scoliosis, asthma and everything else that sucked, he was anything but flexible. After the serum he realized he was limber enough for- well limber enough to do all kinds of things he’d never say in front of his daughter- he’d become a big fan of keeping his frame loose. He’d also realized that stretching out his muscles helped ease the pain and stiffness frequently caused by vigorous battle. 

Tony walked over to the group standing on the sweat-spattered mat. Maggie smiled up at him and yelled, “Come hug me Uncle Tony!” and he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“Eww, hard pass, Peanut. You’re gross.” Maggie feigned insult and shot a stream of water at him from her water bottle, causing him to jump and squawk out indignantly.  

“Hey Jarvis? Can you please make that sound my ringtone for Uncle Tony?” Maggie giggled.

_ ‘As you wish, Miss.’ _

Tony glared and then looked at his watch. “You should probably freshen up if you’re still going shopping sometime today.”

Maggie’s eyes widened, “What time is it anyway?” She looked at the clock on the wall that read 10:12am and let out a hybrid screech-yelp rivaling Tony’s as she popped up off the mat with a new burst of energy. She took off for the lift, rounding the corner with her limbs flailing and running about as gracefully as a puppy on a wet floor. She yelled as the door closed, “I’m gonna go shower!”

Maggie stood under the hot water, letting the heat sooth the soreness in her muscles. Over the past few months, they ached more frequently. Mostly it was after her training sessions with Natasha, and today was  _ so  _ not the day for that, okay? She stretched her neck and shoulders out as long as was possible considering they were supposed to pick up MJ in no time flat. 

After towel drying her wavy brown hair, she pulled it into a side braid and threw on her favorite go-to weekend clothes which consisted of leggings and a long hoodie.  _ Shocker. _ She hurried out into the living room where her parents were reviewing mission reports. 

“Hey Sweetheart,” Steve called as he looked up and saw her. “I’m really proud of you. We had no idea you’ve been going toe to toe with Aunty Nat already.” 

She sat next to him on the sofa to tie her Chucks and looked up at him, her face scrunched up in confusion. “What do you mean? Aunty Nat still goes easy on me, doesn’t she?”

Bucky and Steve looked at each other and collectively shook their heads, both smiling. “She’s been fighting you full on for three months now, Squirt. Didn’t she tell ya?”

Maggie’s bright blue eyes widened in understanding. “No wonder everything freaking hurts!”

Steve laughed, wrapping his big arm around her shoulders and jostling her back and forth before pressing a kiss to her temple. She wrapped her arms around his middle and relaxed into his space.

“Ready,  _ Milaya?” _ Natasha asked when she walked in.

Bucky pulled out his wallet and handed Maggie a couple hundred dollars. “You think this is good for a dress?”

“Thanks, Pop. I’m sure it’s plenty, right?” she looked to Natasha. Maggie wasn’t a big shopper and she had no idea how much to expect a dress to cost. 

Natasha smirked. “I’m her godmother, Yasha. I get to buy the dress.” She arched a challenging red eyebrow at Bucky and he raised his hands in surrender because no way was he going to argue. Natasha would win anyway, and Bucky would just die tired.

_ “Da, Natalia, da. Spasibo.”  _

**Russian**

_ Otlichno =  _ Excellent

_ Da =  _ Yes/Okay

_ Spasibo =  _ Thank you


	14. Shopping

After a short drive, they arrived at MJ’s house in Brooklyn’s DUMBO District. Maggie got out of Natasha’s sleek black fuck off car and hugged her best friend hello. MJ whistled a low sound, “Damn Pegs! That’s a nice car.”

“Come on,” Maggie laughed nervously. Luckily MJ lived in a trendy enough neighborhood that it didn’t attract _too_ much attention.

MJ climbed into the back seat and Maggie closed the door. After she buckled, MJ looked to the driver’s seat expecting to introduce herself to Maggie’s mysterious godmother. Natasha turned to look at the teen, lowering her sunglasses with a small smile. MJ stared with big eyes and her mouth slightly open.

 _“Holy shit,”_ MJ whispered. “Uh, Pegs?” MJ called, tapping the back of Maggie’s seat and not moving her eyes from Natasha. “Pegs! The Black Widow is driving your godmother’s car.”

Maggie turned in her seat to face her friend and smiled. “That’s ‘cause she’s my godmother.”

“MJ, right? You can call me Natasha,” Natasha winked to MJ, pulling away from the curb with a roar of the engine and squeal of the tires.

Maggie turned in her seat so she could see MJ. “Ready for more?”

“Okay, I have so many questions right now.” MJ nodded.

“So my last name’s not Alianova. That’s actually my middle name, after Aunty Nat,” Maggie began, nodding toward Natasha. MJ narrowed her eyes and nodded, encouraging Maggie to go on. “It’s Rogers-Barnes.” She paused, allowing MJ to connect the dots.

“You mean like Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes? _They’re_ your dads?” Understanding flashed across the girl’s face and she nodded. “You _are_ named after Peggy Carter, aren’t you? I knew it!” MJ broke into a satisfied smile and Maggie laughed, relieved her best friend wasn’t freaking out anymore.

They started with a light lunch at Rosemary’s in Manhattan. It was a place Natasha frequented regularly because it was pretty, but mostly because the staff was friendly and discreet. Up until lunch, MJ had limited her questions, but after having more time to think and warm up to the news, there was something she just had to ask.

“Pegs, I know you told me about your parents, but there’s still something that doesn’t make sense,” she began. Maggie raised her brows in question. “You’re like, kind of normal? I mean you’re strong but I thought you’d be like, super… strong. Or fast? Something.”

Maggie shot a look to Natasha and smiled. She’d done a damn good job keeping her genetic gifts under control. “I’m both. We just sparred this morning, actually.” Natasha smiled back at Maggie, beaming with pride.   

“I’ve worked with my _Milaya_ her whole life. Everything can be translated into training, even the ballet we did when she was a toddler. She is genetically _gifted,_ but that in no way takes away from a lifetime of hard work and discipline.” Natasha squeezed Maggie’s hand warmly.

“I’ve wanted to tell you so many times, but it was all classified.” Maggie said quietly. “They met with the school yesterday though, so Monday I get to start using my last name,” she said, nodding to Natasha. “You and Peter are the first ones to know.”

“I bet Pete lost his shit,” MJ laughed. She imagined him going to meet the dads and finding out they’re Cap and the Soldier. Maggie and Natasha laughed too, remembering poor Peter’s first reaction.

“He did good, _considering,”_ Maggie shrugged. Yeah, considering he’s _Spider Man._

At Lord & Taylor, Natasha had a personal shopper waiting for the girls. They each tried on a handful of dresses in varying lengths and fabrics. MJ found a floor length one-shoulder drape gown that fit like it was designed specifically for her long frame.

“Aunty Nat?” Maggie called from the dressing room. Natasha walked in and saw Maggie’s face. She recognized it from a mile away, the poor girl wasn’t comfortable in her own skin. She stood in front of the three way mirror in a strapless black fitted high-low dress. “This looks beautiful on you… But too sexy maybe?”

Maggie shrugged and wrapped her arms across her middle. “I just feel so… I don’t know. Like I’m pretending to be something I’m not?”

“Let’s try on something else, yes? I have just the thing for you.” She stepped out for a moment and walked back in carrying a sweet and very age-appropriate mesh embroidered dress. The cut of the dress was modest, but the moody floral pattern embroidered in the mesh dressed it up and gave it a modern edge.

After trying it on, Maggie turned to the mirror and her eyes lit up. Her hands went to her cheeks and she jumped, saying, “This is it! _Spasibo!”_ She threw her arms around Natasha’s neck and squeezed. “I gotta show MJ!”

After additional stops at the shoe department and makeup counter, Natasha texted Bucky.

Natalia: We’re done here. Ready?

Yasha: 30 more minutes?

Natalia: _Da_

Yasha: _Spasibo_

“What time do I need to have you home, MJ?” Natasha asked.

MJ shrugged. “Can you just adopt me?” she asked and Maggie snorted a laugh. “Nah, I’m just playin’. I’m good ‘till whenever, I just have to let my bro know when I’m on my way back.”

“Are you girls ready to go back to the Tower then?” she asked casually. Maggie’s eyes shot over to Natasha’s, surprise written all over them. Natasha smirked nonchalantly back at Maggie, “It’s been worked out.”

“You wanna come over MJ?”

“You know I do!"


	15. The LOFT

_ ‘Pardon me, Sirs,’  _ Jarvis intoned through the sounds of last minute finishing touches in the LOFT.  _ ‘Agent Romanov has arrived with Miss Maggie and her guest.’  _

“Thank you!” Steve, Bucky and Tony rang out in unison as they scrambled to finish and get into position. Maggie opened the door to her apartment and was met with quiet. 

“Da? Pop? Anybody home?” she yelled and turned back to Natasha. “Do you know where they went?”

“Go put your things in your room and I’ll take you to them. There’s a surprise waiting.”

Maggie and MJ each shot curious glances at each other and did as they were told. They followed Natasha up the stairs to the next level and down the corridor. Maggie wondered what her parents could possibly be doing on the empty level between their place and Tony’s labs. She rounded the corner near the elevators to a new set of double doors and Natasha knocked.

Maggie jumped as the doors flew open. There stood Steve, Bucky and Tony all with enormous grins on their faces. “Surprise!” they yelled.

Tony pressed a button on his StarkPad and the window coverings rose, flooding the room in natural light and showcasing the view of the city. Inside the large room was a soft, deep seated sofa the color of Bucky’s eyes. It was decorated with various throw pillows and a plush white rug. Above the rug rested a coffee table that matched a table and chairs set over by the floor to ceiling windows. 

Soft taupe paint warmed the space and Maggie’s favorite bright pink tulips sat in vases on both tables. There was a kitchenette near the dining table and a media center along the wall. Three of Steve’s abstract paintings completed the look, the colors tying the whole room together. 

“This room is amazing!” Maggie gushed.

“Glad you like it, Peanut,” Tony beamed. “It’s for you.”

“Me?” 

“You’re welcome to have friends over to the house, but we wanted to give you a place to hang out with a group, too.” Bucky added, pulling Maggie in for a hug. 

“Wow,” she mumbled into Bucky’s chest as she hugged him tight. “Thanks Pop.” She held her arm out to Steve and he joined their hug. He kissed her on top of the head before she pulled away to thank Tony with a big hug too.

Steve saw the tall teen standing next to Natasha, quietly taking in the room. “You’re MJ, right?” he asked and offered his hand.

MJ smiled up and shook Steve’s hand with a confident grip. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Rogers. I’ve heard so much about you from Maggie. Well, except for the Captain America part.” 

Steve laughed. He could see why Maggie was best friends with MJ.

MJ looked to Bucky and introduced herself to him too. “Mr. Barnes? Maggie’s told me a lot about you, too.”

Bucky laughed softly and teased the young girl. “Except the Winter Soldier part?”

She grinned. “Yeah, that news I just got today.” She looked around the room. “This is really cool.”

Maggie pulled Tony over, “Uncle Tony, this is MJ.” 

Tony smiled and nodded before shaking her hand and MJ finally lost her collective shit. “Oh my God!  _ You’re _ the engineer uncle? Pegs, he just _ has to  _ guest coach.”

“I’m sorry, did you say coach?” Tony asked. He hadn’t heard about this idea yet. “I don’t know-”

“Come on, you  _ are  _ the family genius Uncle Tony,” Maggie begged. “It’s for the academic decathlon. We need someone to help the team with physics.”

Tony’s brow raised in understanding. “Ah, physics. Yes, I think I can do that.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things seem to be going pretty smoothly... or so everyone thought. Will Maggie be able to handle what's coming her way?


	16. Red Alert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Canon typical violence, death, claustrophobia

**Red Alert**

“We’ll leave you girls to it then,” Steve said before leading Bucky out by the hand. 

“Nice meeting you!” MJ called as she flopped down on the plush sofa. Tony winked at his niece and followed the super soldiers out of the room. Maggie sat next to her friend and leaned back into the soft cushions, tucking her feet up under her legs.

“I… am in  _ love _ with this room,” Maggie sighed. 

“Not where I thought you were going with that comment,” MJ teased, raising her brow suggestively. Maggie’s eyes went wide and she blushed furiously into a fit of giggles. 

“Okay, well  _ maybe _ the room isn’t the only thing.”

“No shit?” MJ asked seriously and Maggie nodded. “He’s unique, I’ll give you that.” She patted her sometimes shy and reserved friend on the knee before she paused, narrowing her eyes.

“What?” Maggie asked innocently enough.

“Your face when I said he’s unique. Just… something there. I suppose you’ll tell me when you're ready.” 

They shared a knowing look. Maggie breathed deep. “It’s not my-” she began but was interrupted by the flashing red lights and  _ Assemble  _ alarm sounding. Maggie stood immediately and pulled MJ up. “Come on!”

Maggie ran back to the stairs and up two more floors, with MJ doing her best to keep up. She opened the door to the mission prep level and waved for her friend to hurry.

“Shit, Pegs!” the teen panted. “You weren’t kidding about being fast!”   

The team arrived moments later, fully dressed in their gear. “What is it Da?” Maggie asked.

“Heimdall sent a warning to Thor, this one’s big. I need you girls to get down into the basement level and stay there till I give you the all clear, okay?” His brow was creased and the was a rigid set to his jaw. This was  _ big,  _ Maggie could tell.

Bucky came along side her and pressed a kiss into her hair. “I love you, Squirt.” Steve made brief eye contact with Bucky and then pulled Maggie against his chest for a hug, stroking her hair with his gloved hand. 

“We’ll see you soon, okay Sweetheart?” Steve said softly before shooing Maggie and MJ to the elevator. Clint fired up the QuinJet and Natasha winked at Maggie on her way out the wide ballistic-rated glass doors to the dock. Her expression was serious, though she still kept the air of stoic indifference that always seemed to calm Maggie. Tony flew up to the dock from his labs, fully decked out in his latest version of the IronMan suit and raised his face shield. 

“Off you go Peanut, clock’s ticking!” 

“Be careful!” Maggie shouted, her hand up in an unmoving wave as the lift doors closed. The lights dimmed and glowed red, and the girls felt the rapid drop directly to the basement. 

_ “Woah,” _ MJ groaned at the abrupt change in speed as the compartment slowed to a stop so many floors down. “My heart just fell out of my butt.” 

“Come on,” Maggie ordered, grabbing MJ by the hand and passing through the basement gym to another set of double doors. The taller teen didn’t have much of a chance to adapt to the drill, but did her best to follow along as instructed. 

“Wait, this isn’t the basement?” MJ asked, taking in the state of the art facility.

“No, this is the training level. The basement’s… safer,” she explained as they passed through a heavy bank vault- style door and down another flight of stairs. 

Once secured inside the tungsten carbide encased room, known to Maggie as ‘the basement’ in times of Red Alert, MJ gaped at their surroundings. It actually looked like any other level in the tower except for the lack of windows and natural light. There was a full kitchen, appropriately stocked with everything Maggie would need as well as living and sleeping quarters. It was normal except for the addition of what could only be described as a  _ situation room _ was adjacent to the living area.

“How often do you come to ‘the basement’, Pegs?” MJ asked hesitantly. The stark lack of windows and steel walls surrounding them felt heavy, suffocating and oppressive. MJ’s vision spun and it was getting hard to breathe. She sat on the edge of one of the sofas and rested her elbows on her knees, her head in her hands, purposefully breathing in and out slowly.

Maggie shrugged distracted, powering up the media center and turning the team’s comms on remotely. “Not too often, but I’ve been trained to use all the tech here.” 

Visual and audio from the QuinJet came on the large main screen against the wall. Maggie pressed a button on her headset and the sound went quiet. 

“We’re secure, Da.”

“Thanks, Sweetheart. You two stay put. I’m uploading the data we’ve received so far. See what you can find for us, okay?”

“Got it.” Maggie flicked the screen of her StarkPad and shit flew up into the air above where she was sitting. MJ took a moment and simply stared in awe. The technological distraction helped, giving her something else to focus on other than the fact they were God only knows how far below ground.

“I think it’s the Brand Corporation. Their latest trial of creating superhumans seems to have been successful judging by the two men on the ground. Sats show they’ve just crossed the border of the Anuquit Reservation. They’re pretty advanced, physically” Maggie reported into the comms. She looked over to MJ who quietly watched the violence via the satellite imagery Maggie was uploading back to the team. 

“You run the missions for them, Pegs?” she asked quietly. It was a lot to process, and it took  _ a lot _ for MJ to be quiet.

“Surveillance and data uploads. You know, make sure they’ve got the best information. When I can, it helps them work faster. I like,  _ just started _ helping out though,” she answered before something caught her eye on the feed. 

“Uncle Tony, there’s a couple of suits, too. Three of them.” She looked closer to the wreckage and flames to verify the number and sizes of the suited invaders. “They’re big, like  _ Veronica  _ big, but slower. Sloppy too.”

MJ’s brain finally came back online, and she googled the Anuquit tribe on her phone. Multiple news stories and Twitter feeds of protests over water rights and oil pipelines came up. “I knew it sounded familiar!” MJ blurted, showing Maggie her phone screen. “That’s where they’ve been protesting over the Roxxon pipeline. You think this is all this part of it?”

As MJ asked, the imagery Maggie switched to showed an enormous brown beast. It was easily twice the height of a regular man and had rippling muscles covered in fur and horns on his head. It’s eyes glowed bright red as he looked up and saw the QuinJet fly overhead. He let out an ungodly roar that Maggie could actually hear through the comms from the QuinJet, and she jumped just a bit. 

“Do you have eyes on whatever made that noise?” Natasha asked through the comms.

“Um, it’s a… Minotaur? I think he’s like, possessed or something.” she said in disbelief. “Oh God,” she breathed. “He just wiped out the entire front line of protesters.” She watched in horror as Anuquit and environmental ally alike turned and ran for their lives.

“Dario Agger,” Steve said morosely. “Copy that, we have visual,” Steve replied before the QuinJet landed a fair distance from the current destruction that used to be home to thousands of indigenous Anuquit. “Sign off, Maggie. We’re going radio silent on this one,” Steve ordered in his authoritative Captain America tone. It left absolutely no room for discussion. 

“Copy, love you,” Maggie said quietly and entered the sequence for radio silence. A sick feeling twisted in her stomach and she moved to sit next to MJ, the audio and visual feeds all dark. 

MJ looked to Maggie, her eyes big with question. “What is it?” 

Maggie just shook her head and mumbled into her lap, cracking her knuckles. “They’ve gone radio silent. I’m just,” she breathed out, her voice wavering, “just really worried is all. There are too many targets. Suits, enhanced forces and that… thing.” She looked up to her friend, the worry evident in her big blue eyes. “It doesn’t make sense, them all working together.”

“They have to be quiet or something?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Radio silent means I’m locked out. It’s too-” she cleared her throat and blinked back the tears welling up in her eyes. “The threat level is too high.”

MJ leaned closer and hugged Maggie tight. The girls clung to each other for a few moments before Maggie spoke. 

“I can’t just sit here and wait,” Maggie huffed and wiped her eyes roughly, looking around the room. 

“Hey. Nobody ever said we can’t watch the news, right? Let’s see what we can find.”

_ ‘I can assist with that, Miss Jones.’  _ Jarvis volunteered, and the large screen monitors turned on, sound on low and each of the three showing different angles from various networks.  

“You’re the man, Jarvis!” MJ called, a wide smile on her face and making Maggie laugh. She still hadn’t fully grasped the weight of the situation, but she was trying to be as positive as possible for her friend. 

As the news came up, Maggie’s phone dinged in her pocket. 

 

Peter: R u ok?

Maggie: I’m ok. Just worried. This one's ugly.

Peter: Do you need anything?

Maggie: No. I’m on lockdown, but MJ is here.

Peter: OK I’m glad you’re not alone **< 3**

Maggie: **< 3**

 

“It’s Peter, he’s checking on me,” Maggie said with a faint blush. MJ squeezed her into a side hug and smirked.

“I’m glad you guys are so close. He’s a good-” She was cut off as the building shook and the lights flickered. Both girls jumped up from where they were sitting. 

“Jarvis?” Maggie called, her voice laced with fear. “What was that?”

_ ‘I’m afraid there is a security breach, Miss. Please try to remain calm.’  _ Jarvis didn’t sound fucking calm. The building just  _ shook, _ and Maggie was supposed to be calm?

“What kind of breach? Building surveillance on screen,” she ordered. 

The three large monitors in the situation room changed from the news to show various angles of the cause of the alert. There were half a dozen smaller suits attacking  _ the building? _ It was just above the lab levels of the building. 

“Shit!” Maggie cursed when she saw the damage. “Jarvis, open a line to the team.”

_ ‘They are aware, Miss. Captain Rogers has instructed you and Miss Jones remain in the basement until he returns.’  _ Jarvis answered before another loud boom sounded and the building shook again. That time, the power cut out for a moment before Maggie heard the backup generators kick on. Her phone dinged again from her pocket and she looked to see Peter’s latest message. 

 

Peter: You have to get out of that building.

Maggie: I have to stay. We should be safe in the basement.

Peter: I’m on my way then.

Maggie: No!

Maggie: Peter? Don’t come! They can’t get to us where we are.

Peter: Not changing my mind.

Maggie: OMG Peter! Please be careful!

 

“Jarvis, open that line!” Maggie ordered. 

_ ‘You may proceed, Miss.’ _

“There are suits breaching above your labs, Uncle Tony.”

“Got it Peanut, I’m on my way back, Bruce too.”

“Uncle Tony?” Maggie hesitated. “It’s on the news, and Peter’s coming.”

_ “Goddammit! _ No, Maggie. Tell him to stay home!” Tony snapped. 

“I did!” Maggie bit back. “He didn’t listen and now he’s not answering.”

“Copy,” Tony replied dryly.

“Uncle Tony?”

“Yeah, Peanut,” he huffed. 

“Make sure he’s okay. Please?” Maggie asked quietly before the line cut off.

Another, much larger explosion rocked the building. The surveillance feeds showed two suits as they rammed straight into the lab level, shattering the glass walls and careening into the closed steel elevator doors. The other four suits entered through the opening and men climbed out of them. Two went directly to the computer panel on the wall and plugged a blue glowing machine in. And oh, God, they were trying to hack into the tower’s system!

“What the hell does Peter think he’s gonna do? Has he  _ seen _ these things?” MJ stood, pointing to the screens. 

“You’ll see…” Maggie answered dryly, shaking her head at the breach just three levels above her home. 

MJ looked closer at the lab feed. She gasped as she saw none other Spider Man swing in through the opening in the side of the building and web two of the men together. 

“Hey guys, nice party,” he quipped and flipped through the air, knocking the smallest man out with a series of kicks and pinning another to the wall with webs. “Too bad I had to crash it though, yeah?”

“Are you shitting me right now?” MJ blurted to Maggie. “It’s him, isn’t it?” Maggie stood silently watching the exchange. It was torture. From her vantage point she could see every one of his blind spots. The two men who were webbed together tried to take Peter down and the three rolled across the floor struggling. She winced every time he was caught with a pummeling blow from the men he fought. Once the two subdued again, he went to work on the ones hacking the system. 

One of them seemed much larger than the rest, and stronger too. Because, of course he was. They double teamed him and it hardly seemed like a fair fight until Peter slammed one back against the wall and webbed his face to the ground when he fell.

“Peter!” Maggie screamed as she watched in horror as the biggest man caught him by the neck and lifted him up off the floor. Her heart thudded unrelenting against her chest as she watched him struggle frantically until he stopped moving. “No!” 

The man threw Peter’s lifeless body across the workshop. His body dented the steel wall before he crumpled in a heap on the floor. The blue glowing machine sounded as it turned green and brought up a hologram of plans for Tony’s arc reactor. The man worked swiftly as the system’s security protocols were dismantled one by one. 

Maggie knew he was in the building’s systems, and they were in real danger, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Peter slumped in the corner. She knew, in her mind’s eye, that the attack continued. More suits arrived but the only thing that drew her eyes away from the monitor was MJ physically yanking her arm, pulling her to take shelter in the bathroom at Jarvis’ instruction.

“Pegs, come on!” MJ hollered. Maggie followed quietly, her head still turned back to the view of Tony’s labs, hoping against hope that Peter would get up, that he was alive.

“I have to get to him!” she screamed as the locking mechanism sounded. Maggie pounded against the door, doing her best to break through. She was superhuman, yes, but still a kid. A kid that was no match for a tungsten carbide door and frame designed to protect her from things much bigger and badder than herself.

“No, stop! We have to stay here,” MJ repeated, voice sounding empty with hollow reason. “Jarvis… he said to stay in the bathroom.”

Maggie pushed her forehead against the wall and tried two more pathetically ineffective smacks to the door before she broke down and turned, sobbing as she sank to the floor. “This can’t be happening… They’re all out there, and I’m just…  _ useless. _ I have to help. Peter, he’s-” she choked on the rest of the thought. The silence was broken by a loud roar that shook the building.

“Oh my God,” MJ breathed out and Maggie looked up, the hope finally back in her eyes as she smiled in relief. MJ looked at her best friend, smiling like an idiot. Yep, she’d officially lost her freaking mind.

“He’s here!” Maggie sighed, the relief building in her posture. 

“Oh my God! Are you kidding me right now? How _ the hell _ is that a good thing? You saw what he did to the protesters!” MJ demanded.

“What? No!” Maggie shook her head. “It’s Uncle Bruce! That means Uncle Tony’s here too, we’ll be okay!”

Understanding ran across MJ’s face like a bullet train. “That’s the Hulk, not that Minotaur thing?” she asked, just to be sure. Maggie shook her head and smiled before slouching back against the wall. 

“We’ll be out soon. Jarvis, are you okay?”

_ ‘I will survive, Miss.’ _ he replied hesitantly. Then added,  _ ‘Sir is repairing the damage straight away. And you Miss?’ _

Maggie met MJ’s eyes, finally stopping to see the anxiety and shock on her friend’s face. She offered a reassuring smile, as best as she could and replied, “We’re okay, J. But, Jarvis?”

_ ‘Yes Miss?’ _

“Is Peter… alive?”

_ ‘I am currently unable to obtain a reading on his vital signs, Miss. I am sorry.’ _

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG! I suck for doing this!


	17. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Mention of blood and injuries.

**Recovery**

MJ sat quietly, desperately trying to control her panic as she breathed slowly. They were going on fifteen minutes in the tiny room and she refused to lose her shit.  _ In… Out… In… Out… _

If she thought the basement safe room was hard to handle… Being locked away in the bathroom- well, let’s just say it wasn’t a vacation.“Hey,” Maggie said softly, wiping her puffy red eyes. “We’re gonna be okay, MJ. We’ll be out soon.”

MJ said nothing, just nodded and continued her steady forced breathing pattern.

_ ‘Miss? Sir has completed his repairs and I am fully functional again. The Captain has given the all clear for you to exit.’ _

MJ sprang to her feet, eager to get out of the confined space. “Come on, Pegs. Let’s get the hell outta here,” she said, offering her hand to Maggie. Maggie took the proffered hand and followed her friend out of the bathroom. The metal vault door opened and Steve entered, looking beat to hell and a little bloody around the edges. 

“Girls!” He pulled his daughter into his chest in a crushing hug and lightly hugged MJ with his other hand. “Maggie, are you okay sweetheart? Let me look at you.” He held her shoulders and gave her the once over before turning back to MJ, who forced a small smile, relieved that they were no longer _ locked in _ .

Maggie heard the sounds of heavy footsteps coming down the metal staircase outside the vault door, and knew it was Bucky. “Pop?” she called as he came around the corner. 

“Hey Squirt, you okay?” he asked before skipping the hug and kissing her on top of her head. Maggie took in the amount of gore that Bucky was still covered in and covered her mouth with her hand. “I got a surprise for ya,” he smiled and nodded back to the door. A limping, unmasked Peter rounded the corner right after Bucky. Blood still trickled slowly from a gash on his temple, and he held one arm at a guarded angle, but he was _ alive. _

“Peter!” Maggie gasped and ran to him, throwing her arms around the kid and burying her face in his neck. “Oh my God, I thought-” Her voice broke and she began crying again.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said softly. He shuddered out a sigh into her hair before he broke their embrace, holding her face in his hands and gently touching their foreheads together. “Please don’t cry, we’re all okay, yeah?” he soothed and she nodded with a smile.

Bucky watched the exchange between his baby girl and  _ that damned kid. _  He was sweet and gentle toward Maggie and really seemed to care for her. At the same time, he was a little too touchy-feely with her for Bucky’s taste, so the urge to kill him remained in tact. On some deep, repressed, primal level, that urge made the Soldier smile.

 

They all piled into the elevator to go back to the Rogers-Barnes home and clean up. Peter met MJ’s critical eyes and smiled sheepishly. “Hey MJ,” he said quietly and she gave him a knowing smirk. 

“It  _ was _ you in DC. I thought so, but you always have such a convincing story, Parker.” She smiled and punched his shoulder, making him wince. _ It had to be that shoulder. _ “You’re an ass, by the way.” Bucky snorted out a laugh at the look on the kid’s face. 

Peter wasn’t expecting that, after all, he just helped save the freaking day, _ thank you very much.  _ “That’s, uhm. Wow, MJ, yeah. Sorry.”  _ Great comeback, Peter. _

“I didn’t even ask, but everyone’s okay, right Da?”

Steve grimaced as he tried unsuccessfully to stretch a nasty pulled muscle in his back while in the cramped elevator. “We’ll all be okay, sweetheart.”

“Hey Mr. Barnes, you should really use a napkin next time you eat. That’s gross,” MJ teased and motioned to the nastiness that covered Bucky’s tac suit.

Steve smiled at Bucky, “You think that’s bad, you should see the other guy.” Maggie snorted out a laugh, and the rest followed suit.  _ Ahh, hello dark humor, coping mechanism of the ages. _ If not for that, life would suck. 


	18. Family Sticks Together

**Family Sticks Together**

“My heart goes out to the victims of this horrible attack. Roxxon Energy has pledged to work together with government agencies to ensure the Anuquit people’s land is restored to its natural beauty,” Dario Agger smiled. A dark glint shone in his eyes as he added, “With a few necessary improvements, and access to the rich resources of that beauty, of course.”

Cameras flashed and reporters shouted additional questions, hoping to get the man to talk more. He coldly smiled that sinister grin and turned to leave, his hands clasped behind his back like he was hiding something.  _ Because he was. _

“He looked remarkably well for someone who just decimated an entire reservation, don’t you think?” Tony sneered after the news story concluded in the situation room.

“We need to find a weakness. This is going to blow up in our faces if he keeps this up.” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and rolled his neck muscles. Stress was a bitch. 

“It doesn’t make sense. What would Agger need with your Arc Reactor?” Bucky asked. “He got what he wanted at the rez. The few Anuquit people who are left already surrendered.” 

Bruce blinked and snapped his fingers. “The Reactor.  _ That’s it!” _ The room full of Avengers- with the exception of Tony- all jumped. They weren’t used to the usually mild-mannered man moving quickly when he wasn’t all big and green and ugly. 

“Nuclear fission.  _ Son of a bitch,” _ Tony added.

“In English for the rest of us, please?” Maria prompted the two geniuses. At least they seemed to understand each other just fine.

“Look, we know the moon is rich in minerals, yeah?” Tony began, and brought something up on his StarkPad. With a flick of his wrist, shit flew up above the team and a diagram highlighted possible drilling sites. “He wants the moon. Literally. Not just in a narcissistic way, either, but like in a batshit crazy,  _ ‘Kneel before me’  _ way. No offense to your brother, Thor.”

“And with the technology from the Arc Reactor, combined with what he’s already got, he could do it,” Bruce added, bringing the focus back to the problem at hand. 

“So the Anuquit… and the water protectors? They were just collateral damage,” Clint surmised, trying his best to rationalize a crazy jackass wanting to actually take over the _ freaking moon. _ It wasn’t the first time they’d seen mass murders at the hands of a madman, but this one was beyond the standard level of gore, to the point even Natasha was losing sleep.

Tony shrugged, “Not really. He benefits from the attack on them, too. He’s got billions invested in that pipeline and they were in his way.” Tony quieted for a few moments, plugging data into a simulation and frowning each time the results were calculated, the drilling sites flashing red. “No way this works. The core isn’t stable enough to mine the moon without it splitting wide open.”

_ “Jesus,”  _ Bucky sighed, shaking his head. “Never thought I’d be sittin’ at a table hearin’ this kinda talk.” Steve shot him a knowing glance. The future was balls.

“How are we going to prevent this from happening again? We can’t let him get your tech and he got way too close to Maggie this time.” Natasha said it like it was Tony’s fault, though she knew it wasn’t. Agger was just after the tech, but if anything happened to Maggie in the process, well let’s just say there would be worse things for Tony than the moon splitting in half over his head.

“I shall return to Asgard. The Lady Sif and her Warriors Three will be a most excellent addition for us in defeating this Agger character.” Thor stood and plucked Mjolnir up off the table, flipping it in his hand. “Midgard’s moon must not be destroyed in this manner. The Allfather will surely see reason when I explain this.”

“Okay, so while Point Break’s riding the rainbow wave, we’ll work on a systemic upgrade to Jarvis. Top to bottom. Nothing will get through again.”

“Bifrost.”

“What?” 

_ “Bifrost. _ Call is as it is named,” Thor snapped and turned to leave.

Tony blinked, brow furrowed as he looked to Bruce, who simply shrugged. Something about Thor seemed  _ off.  _ It probably had something to do with the god-sized daddy issues he was about to face.

After the uncomfortable silence following Thor’s departure passed, Tony asked the million dollar question. “Now that we’ve addressed Agger, what about the kid? I told you he’d go balls out without thinking.”

“Sounds like someone else I knew when we was kids,” Bucky muttered ruefully, and Steve gave him a cross look, one that said  _ ‘you’re not helping’.  _

“If it hadn’t been for you and your half-assed training him _ behind our backs, _ he wouldn’t have that suit and probably wouldn’t have been involved.” 

Tony nodded deferentially and waited for Steve to make the call. He felt immense responsibility for everything that happened, both directly and indirectly. It was  _ his tech _ that Agger was after. It was  _ his tech _ that put Maggie at risk when Jarvis was hacked so easily. And it was  _ his tech _ that gave Peter the over inflated sense of ability that could have gotten him killed.

Bucky slid his warm hand over Steve’s thigh and squeezed softly. The gesture was calming in a familiar way, and it was exactly what Steve needed to calm down. He huffed a sigh and looked directly at Tony, who had grown quiet, eyes downcast. 

Steve was used to the sarcasm or at least having Tony argue with him. But this response, well, He wasn’t expecting it. “Look, the kid did good. He’s gifted, but he needs more guidance, Tony. We can’t be responsible for him getting killed.” Steve looked at Bucky out of the corner of his eye. The proud look in Bucky’s eyes, how his lips softly curled into a small smile on one side, it reassured Steve he was doing the right thing.

“Go ahead and bring him in, but I want May’s approval. If she’s not on board, then it’s a no-go,” Steve conceded. It still didn’t sit quite right with him, but now that Peter had involved himself, they couldn’t just do  _ nothing.  _ Steve had a sneaking suspicion their family just grew by two.


	19. Bruce Wayne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Mild bullying and teasing

**Bruce Wayne**

“What do you mean, tell May? Are you crazy!?” Peter hollered at the drone. He sat atop one of the newer construction sites overlooking Transmitter Park, with a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline, the evening sun setting in the distance. Up high was one of the only places he felt like he could talk about these things, even though it took longer to get there with his current injuries.

“Look Parker, this isn’t my call,” Tony’s voice said from the suit. “You wanna be read in? You gotta bring May. Cap’s orders.”

“If I refuse?” Peter challenged.

“Then you turn the suit in. Go back to being a regular seventeen year old. I don’t know, maybe get a job stocking shelves or something after school.” The irritation in Stark’s voice was loud and clear.

“Turn it in? But I’m nothin without the suit!” Peter begged.

“If you’re nothing _without_ the suit, then you’ll never be anything _with it,”_ Tony chided. “Look kid, I shouldn’t have even started with you without May knowing. It wasn’t my best moment.”

Peter sat quietly, mulling over his options. Part of him wanted to work with the Avengers, had wanted to his whole life. But there was another part of him- a bigger part, to be honest- that knew how much May would be hurt when she found out he’d been lying to her this whole time. What would Maggie think if he just gave everything up, especially considering her family? He didn’t want to be a nobody to her.

“I’ll do it,” Peter sighed, trying his best not to sound like a petulant child.

“I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Peter rolled his eyes. “I said _yes,_ Mr. Stark. _I’ll do it.”_

“Good call. This Saturday’s your dance, so you and May come over sometime after that, maybe Sunday? We’ll get this squared away.”

Peter shook his head. The billionaire was acting like it was all just fine and dandy. Maybe he’d let _him_ do the talking when they told May the news. Stark had _no idea_ what he was in for if he thought May wasn’t his problem, too.

 

The next day at school didn’t start much better. Peter totally forgot about his literature assignment for second period, and Flash had achieved an extra special level of stupid.

“Better watch the stairs, _Penis_ . Don’t want you getting hurt again,” he said in a baby voice, then the guy actually shoved Peter’s shoulder as they passed in the hall. Maybe ‘falling down the stairs’ wasn’t the best story he could have come up with to explain the cut on his head and sling around his shoulder, but whatever Flash, _whatever._

Peter stopped and rearranged his books before taking his sweet-ass time getting to class. Maybe he’d luck out and they’d have a sub, so he could turn his paper in tomorrow. Days like today he wished he and Ned had the same classes, but at least third period was coming soon, then he’d get to see Maggie.

“Mr. Parker, good of you to join us,” his second period teacher said over the wire rim of his reading glasses. “I trust you have something for me?”

Peter tried to avoid looking like a deer caught in the headlights. “I- uh- I’m sorry, sir. I forgot it at home. I’ll have it for you first thing tomorrow though.”

The teacher shook his head. “You know the policy, Parker. I can’t make exceptions for anyone.”

Great, Peter thought, another big fat zero. Any more and he’d be kicked off the Academic Decathlon team.

Peter perked up when he heard people in the back row whispering about Maggie. “Do you think she’s related to _them?”_

“There’s no way,” Flash muttered. “Maybe she’s delusional like her _little boyfriend._ Last year, didn’t he say he knew Tony Stark?”

Someone else snorted a sarcastic laugh, and whispered, “Yeah, and I’m dating Black Widow.”

Peter turned in his seat and met Flash’s eyes. The guy looked straight back, challenging him to say something. Biting his tongue, Peter faced forward. It wasn’t worth it to get into it again with the jackass.

“Something you’d like to share with the class, Mr. Thompson?” the teacher asked Flash. Silence was his reply. “Good, now let’s begin.”

 

Third period was a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, and the light’s name was Maggie. Her eyes lit up when she saw Peter and she hugged him carefully as he sat at their Bio lab table. “How are you feeling?” she asked before squeezing his hand under the desk.

“Better now that I’m with you,” he whispered with a soft smile. Maggie blushed and smiled back.

The teacher began attendance, and the room quieted.

“Abraham Attah?”

_Present_

“Sally Avril?”

_Here_

“Betty Bryant?”

_Here, Ma'am_

“Jason Ionello?”

_Yo_

“Michelle Jones?”

_Yup_

“Ned Leeds?”

_Here_

“Tiny McKeever?”

_Here_

“Cindy Moon?”

_Present_

“Charlie  Murphy?”

_Yo_

“Seymour O’Reilly?”

_Yo_

“Peter Parker?”

_Here_

“Maggie Rogers-Barnes?”

_Here, Ma'am_

“Flash Thompson?”

_Question..._

“Excuse me?” the Bio teacher asked after Flash responded. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “What is it Flash?”

“Can I change my name too? I can be Bruce Wayne, he's rich.” Snickers sounded around the room, some of the students high-fiving Flash. “Or maybe I’ll be _super,_ like Clark Kent?” Maggie looked down in embarrassment. She knew she’d be mocked, but like Happy said, she knew who the assholes were now.

“Hey! Leave her alone!” Peter yelled and went to stand, jaw set in anger and brow furrowed.

“That’s enough, gentlemen,” the teacher snapped.

Maggie held Peter’s hand and squeezed harder this time, stopping him midway. “It’s okay, Peter,” she whispered softly, only for him to hear and laced her fingers with his. “It shouldn’t matter what he thinks.”

He wanted to rip apart the jackass for teasing Maggie. He was used to catching hell from Flash, but Maggie? She was _off limits, thank you very fucking much._

Maggie saw the frustration in Peter’s eyes and smiled again at him, her blue eyes pleading with him to let it go. “I’m okay,” she repeated and he sank back into his chair. He looked down at their hands laced together and breathed out his frustration, rubbing his thumb gently over her knuckles. It was only then he noticed the faded bruising on her knuckles, and looked up at her with a question in his eyes.

Maggie blushed, a self-deprecating smile on her lips. “I tried to bust through the door, when I thought you were-” her voice caught in her throat. She couldn’t even say it.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’re all okay, right?” he shot an encouraging grin at Maggie and her heart melted. She nodded, biting her lip and _oh, God._ She needed to stop doing things like that, things that made Peter want to kiss her, catch those pretty full lips in his and maybe even nibble on them himself.

Shit. _Focus,_ Peter.

 

The rest of the week was uneventful after the initial news of Maggie’s name change. More people speculated in hushed whispers than actually asked, and homecoming being around the corner helped overshadow everything else.

“Hi Ned,” MJ smiled. “You holdin’ up okay, Pete?” MJ asked as she joined them at the table for lunch. Peter was out of the sling and the bruises on his temple started to yellow in healing.

“I’m good, thanks MJ.” He dug into his brown bag and paused, looking back at his friend. “Thanks for not sayin’ anything, too. I, uh- just, thanks.”

MJ smirked, settling into her usual easy slouch that always made her look so aloof. “It’s the least I could do, considering…”

“Hey Pegs, you gonna eat sometime today?” MJ teased as Maggie joined their table a little late.

“Sorry, I got called to the office.”

The other three looked at each other, all surprised. Maggie _never_ got called to the office. “What the hell did you do?” MJ asked in a hushed tone of surprise and Maggie laughed.

“Nothing, I just had to meet the new Agent.”

Ned shook his head and chuckled, “This is so bizarre,” then nodded to MJ. ”You hiding any super powers I don’t know about?” he asked in a very low voice and MJ smirked.

“Nope,” she said, popping the ‘p’. “Pretty scary when you think about it, you and I being the normal ones of the group, huh?” she took another bite then asked, “How did you find out?”

Peter and Ned looked at each other and laughed at the story that had been an inside joke for about a year now. Ned leaned forward, as did MJ. “I was waiting for him at his house, and he _crawled in_ through the _window.”_ Ned raised his brow in emphasis, and the hidden meaning was not lost on MJ.

She snorted out another laugh. “Smooth, Pete. Real smooth.”


	20. A Tricky Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, this was fun! My muse is back, y'all :)

**A Tricky Dance**

It seemed like it took forever to get there, but Saturday night finally arrived. The girls were holed up in Maggie’s room, Natasha and Wanda helping with hair and make-up.

“Yo, you got skills!” MJ exclaimed to Wanda and whistled low when she turned and saw her transformation in the mirror. “What’cha think, Pegs?”

Maggie turned to her friend, while at the same time balancing and hopping to put on her sheer black tights. “Oh!” she gasped. “You look so pretty!”

A knock came at the door and Maggie waddled over while at the same time doing the dance all women do as they finish pulling up their hose. She cracked the door and stuck her head out to find Bucky there, a smirk on his face when he saw her hair still in curlers.

“Better hurry up Squirt, the boys just got here,” he said before chuckling at the size of Maggie’s eyes.

“Oh my gosh, okay we’ll be right out!”

Maggie turned back to Natasha, who held her dress, ready to be stepped into. After zipping her up and fixing Maggie’s bun, Natasha placed two decorative chopsticks through the bun. Maggie frowned in confusion.

“Chopsticks?”  

“Titanium throwing spikes,” Natasha whispered softly in Maggie’s ear and kissed her on the cheek. “Use them if you need to, _Milaya.”_

The girls walked to the three-way mirror and stood in awe of the transformation. Natasha and Wanda did an impressive job, keeping the girls age-appropriate but polished enough for the dance. Maggie smoothed her mesh and embroidered floral dress down and admired her shiny new Doc Martens, and MJ stood tall in her one-shoulder Roman goddess dress and silver gladiator sandals laced up her calves. After fussing once more with MJ’s long, loose waves, Wanda pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of the girls, then crowded in for a selfie of the four of them together.

“Off you go, have fun girls!” Wanda smiled and the girls gave their last hugs before joining the men in the living room.

“You look beautiful, Sweetheart,” Steve gushed, a little teary eyed around the edges. Bucky stood with him when the girls entered, as did Peter and Ned.

“You four have a good time tonight, and be safe,” he said, eyeing Peter.

“Yes Sir, Mr. Barnes. We will.”

“Thank you, Ca- Captain America, um, Sergeant Barnes…” Ned said awkwardly and the super soldiers chuckled softly as they wrapped their arms around each other.

“Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barnes is fine, Ned,” Steve said before kissing Bucky’s cheek and Ned blushed.

“Wait!” Natasha commanded before the kids got to the door, and they all stopped short. “I need a picture of all you guys together,” she said and waved to Wanda.

“Yes, definitely! Okay, squeeze in guys,” she said and held her phone out. Peter put his arm around Maggie, resting his hand on her hip and pulled her close. MJ stood on her other side, and Ned next to MJ, who towered over everyone. MJ rested her arm around Ned’s shoulders and he blushed profusely through his big smile. “Perfect!”

“All right, now get out of here,” Natasha smiled.

“Love you guys!” Maggie called over her shoulder.

The limousine was waiting in the garage, and the same driver from the first night Peter and May visited smiled as she opened the door. “Miss Maggie,” she nodded and smiled at Peter, recognizing him as well. “Mr. Parker.”

Ned’s eyes opened wide once he was inside. “Woah, this car is awesome…”

“Uncle Tony is a bit extreme,” Maggie laughed. “We usually just use Pop’s Jeep, or else I’m on the back of one of their bikes.”

“How are you real?” Ned teased, and Maggie got quiet. MJ smacked Ned in the arm and he laughed nervously, not wanting to hurt her feelings. “No! I’m- you know I don’t mean that in a bad way, right Maggie?”

Peter, who was sitting next to Maggie gently squeezed her hand and winked when she looked up at him. It seemed to help, because shortly after she brought up the control panel for the lights and music, smiling and motioning for Ned to take over.

“Knock yourself out, Ned. You’re the DJ now!”

 

The car pulled up outside the school, causing a lot of heads to turn. Peter got out first and held his hand for Maggie like a gentleman. After Maggie, MJ climbed out followed by Ned and his hat, which let’s be real- should have a name of it’s own. Maggie stopped short, not yet used to the attention since she preferred to hover under the radar. She leaned toward MJ and grabbed the crook of her arm.

“People are staring,” she whispered loud enough for her friend to hear.

“It’s okay. Own it, Pegs!” MJ smiled. She grabbed Ned’s arm and pulled him forward with her like she’d been doing red-carpet premieres all her life or something... smiling and waving to anyone who felt the need to stare. _“Hi there! Hey! ‘Sup guys!”_

Maggie snorted a laugh at the scene MJ made, thankful that her friend took the focus so she could walk normally with Peter, who held out his arm for her to take, covering her hand with his own. They walked in to the gym, and once inside the familiar building, Maggie began to unwind.

The DJ at homecoming was, of course, Flash. Luckily, when he wasn’t running his mouth, he was actually pretty good. There were a lot of people dancing already, so when Peter asked, Maggie was happy to go.

“Remember,” Peter said in Maggie’s ear so she could hear him over the music, “May taught me how, so no laughing!” They danced and danced, having a great time. The floor was packed, and Maggie’s smile reflected just how much fun the evening was. Principal Morita took the stage, and Flash dropped the music down so he could speak.

“Good evening Midtown Tech!” he began. “It’s nice to see so many of you here to celebrate Homecoming with us. If you’ll all find your seats, dinner will be served and then we can get on with the evening.” The students stood around talking, not really wanting to break the fun up. “Go on now, there’s plenty more music later tonight, don’t worry!”

Lower volume music was put on as the meal was served, and MJ took that opportunity to _finally_ talk Ned up.

“Since you’re seniors next year,” she began, motioning between Ned and Peter, “have you decided where you’re going to college?”

“Uh, I’m not totally sure. I mean, I’m really good with programming, so I want to focus on that. Maybe develop software? Specialize in AI?” Ned shrugged and blushed. Peter nudged Maggie’s arm and they shared a knowing look. “How about you?” Ned asked MJ. “I know you still have two more years, but do you know what you wanna do?”

“Oh, political science, totally.” MJ took another bite and chewed on her response. “I wanna make sure the world knows we’ve still not abolished slavery. I mean, we’re not exactly bringing slaves over from Africa anymore, but trafficking is a huge problem.” Ned looked surprised at the statement.

Maggie leaned forward, joining their conversation. “There’s more slaves now than ever before, Ned. It’s a huge problem.” She looked down, remembering the girls faces, how afraid they were when they were rescued. It was the first mission Maggie was able to run intel on while the team was out.

“Your dads rescued a group not too long ago, what, six months maybe?” MJ asked.

Maggie nodded. “They were brought here from Ukraine. There was a guy drugging and selling them.”

Peter shook his head. “That’s so wrong, you know? It happens here, and nobody even thinks about it.”

“They were kids, too. Younger than us, but being sold for sex. Can you imagine?” Maggie asked, eyes wide.

“How’s your evening going, guys?” Mr. Harrington asked, coming up behind MJ and making her jump.

 _“Jesus!_ Mr. Harrington, warn a girl!” The teacher laughed, and so did the others at the table.

“Easy there, MJ. You’re going to have an ulcer before you’re twenty!” he teased, then looked at the others. “Ready for the court announcements?”

Just then, Mr. Hapgood took the stage and tapped the microphone. Nobody really quieted down so he cleared his throat and in a gruff voice called attention to the front of the room. “If you’ll all pay attention, I’m going to introduce last year’s Homecoming King, Flash Thompson. Flash?” he waved the teen up onto the stage.

Flash took the microphone from Mr. Hapgood and waved for him to get off the stage. _Such manners, geeze Flash._ “Alright, time to get down to business! Since last year’s Homecoming Queen isn’t with us anymore, you just get me in all my glory.”

Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Who actually voted for him, anyway?”

“Pretty sure he voted for himself, like a thousand times,” Peter smirked.

“Now voting closed Thursday after school, so this is real-time, people.” Flash smiled his trademark self-absorbed smile and continued. ”Alright, your Princesses nominees for Homecoming Queen are…” His table of followers banged against the table, rattling the dishes and causing a commotion that many other tables joined in on. “Freshman Princess, America Chavez. Come on up here, America!” He furrowed his brow and held the card out like he could read better from a distance. “With a name like that you should be related to _Maggie.”_ he told the tall young Latina. She flipped her big hair at him and pointedly looked away like she couldn’t be bothered with a response, which made Flash frown and move on to the next name.

“Ooh, I like her,” Maggie smiled to MJ. “She doesn’t take his shit.”

“Sophomore Princess… wow, really?” Mr. Morita gave Flash a stern look and he continued. “Okay, it seems like a lot of you know who this person is now. I wonder why? Maggie Rogers-Barnes, come on up here.”

Maggie stopped talking mid-sentence and her eyes went wide. Her friends at her table were clapping for her. Flash just said her name for Sophomore Princess, really?

“Yeah! Go Pegs!” MJ called out, waving for her to take the stage.

“Maggie Rogers-Barnes, everyone. Your Sophomore Princess,” Flash smirked and Maggie’s cheeks burned bright as she took her place next to America. “Does anyone else see a pattern here?” Flash laughed. “We’ve got _America,_ and then _Captain America’s daughter.”_  

“Keep it rolling, Thompson,” Principal Morita warned, seeing the looks on the girls’ faces.

“Junior Princess, Betty Bryant. Let’s hear it for Betty everyone!” Betty smiled, perfectly comfortable with the attention since she was on camera daily with the school news network. “And without further ado, your Senior Princess, Cindy Moon!” Flash greeted Cindy up on stage with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, since they were _together._ Cindy took the microphone and looked to the crowd benevolently.

“Since Liz isn’t here to announce the guy’s court, I’ll do it.” Cindy said and paused for applause. Betty tried her best to hide the way she rolled her eyes when Cindy spoke. Those two had been frenemies for a couple of years now.

Cindy took the papers from Mr. Morita and began with the Freshman nominee. “Your Freshman Prince is Johnny Storm.”

Loud celebrating came from the back of the gymnasium. “Yeah, that’s right baby!” the guy yelled. Maggie turned to look, and wow. While sure, he _was_ attractive, but he looked like he could be related! Eww, gross.

The tall guy with short blond hair and bright blue eyes winked at Maggie as he took his place next to America. Johnny was the only freshman on the varsity football team, and worse, he _knew_ he was pretty.

“Ya, _calmate, pendejo,”_ America muttered to Johnny and Maggie snorted a laugh, understanding America’s Spanish perfectly.

“Okay, next up is the Sophomore Prince, Abraham Attah. Wow, come up Abe.” Maggie clapped for her friend, Abe. He was a great guy, really smart and kind, but extremely shy. He made Maggie look like a total party girl!

“Juniors, let’s welcome your Prince, Jason Ionello!” Cindy smirked in Betty’s direction, knowing how much she and Jason were never going to be a thing. Jason, on the other hand, apparently hadn't gotten the memo. Cindy continued, smiling wide at Flash. “Your Senior Prince, is _of course,_ Flash Thompson!”

Flash waved his hands, demanding applause and celebration from the audience, to which his group of buddies were happy to provide.. Mr. Morita come up and took the microphone back from Cindy.

“Okay, thank you. Settle down, now. Please,” he urged, his hands up until the room quieted. “Your Midtown Tech Homecoming King, please congratulate... “ Mr. Morita opened the envelope. “Johnny Storm!”

The room lost its collective shit, and the freshmen jumped up in celebration. Never before had a freshman been voted Homecoming King. Johnny stepped forward, pumped his fist in celebration and bent down so Mr. Morita could place the shiny aluminum crown on his head. Maggie actually laughed out loud when Johnny kissed his two fingers and then gave the room a peace sign before bowing. This kid might actually have a bigger ego than Tony Stark! He stood next to Flash and slung his thick muscled arm around the shorter guy’s neck, jostling him into a side hug.

“I’ll do ya proud, man,” Johnny promised the _former_ year’s King. Flash pouted through the scowl on his face and managed to weasel out of the tall blond’s grip.

“Alright, let’s quiet down now, come on,” Mr. Morita urged again. “And our very own Midtown Tech Homecoming Queen is…” Cindy shook her hair back and ran a finger along the bottom of her lips to fix her lipstick as she awaited the announcement. “Maggie Rogers-Barnes, congratulations, Maggie!”

 

Maggie couldn’t believe her ears. How the hell was _she_ ever voted Homecoming Queen? She didn’t _know_ half the people at her school, and she certainly never thought anyone knew who she was. To her left, America smiled and clapped for her, guiding her to the front of the stage for Principal Morita to put the crown on her head.

Johnny chanted, “Speech! Speech!” and the rest of the room followed along. Mr. Morita handed the stunned and wide-eyed Maggie the microphone and the room quieted, everyone curious to see what the daughter of two _Avengers_ would say.

“Um,” Maggie began eloquently. “I- uh. Thank you? I didn’t think this was going to happen, so, yeah.”

Mr. Morita smiled and patted Maggie on the shoulder before rescuing her and taking back the microphone. Maggie looked out to the crowd and found her friends at their table.

They all smiled widely, happy for her and a bit surprised, too. Not that Maggie didn’t _deserve_ it, because she was a great person and _they’d_ all voted for her after all, but because like Maggie thought, not many people really _knew_ her. Peter beamed an encouraging smile up at Maggie, knowing she needed to know they were all behind her and hoping that would help her overcome her shyness.

“Time for our traditional Royal Dance. Flash, could you do the honors please and start the music?” Mr. Morita asked. Johnny strutted over to Maggie with his hand out to her. She looked up at him, and yeah, she’d _never_ seen a freshman as huge as Johnny.

“Do me the honor, Maggie?” Johnny asked and softly held Maggie’s hand as they left the stage to the spotlight on the dance floor. His hand was huge, warm and a little calloused from football and lifting weights- or whatever it was he did to stay so freaking big.

Maggie blushed because she could feel all the eyes on her, and it made her skin crawl. Her enhanced senses were on the fritz because of the social anxiety from being on stage. Johnny put a warm hand on Maggie’s back and pulled her closer as they began their dance.

“So, Homecoming Queen, huh?” he asked with a reassuring smile, trying to make conversation. Maggie smiled up at the tall blond, and when she met his eyes, she was oddly at ease with him. He actually reminded her of Steve. He had the same look on his face as when Captain America was in front of the cameras. The one that looked confident to the untrained eye, but Maggie knew was just a cover for the nerves, since he hated interviews.

“You look so familiar, Johnny. Anyone ever tell you that?” she asked, feeling out the kid’s comfort level. He huffed a small laugh and looked down, his blush warming his cheeks.

“People say I look like a young Captain America. I guess you’d be the best judge of that, though.” His bright eyes danced as they swayed to the music. Maggie cocked her head, pretending to really concentrate on the guy in front of her, though she’d already thought that herself.

“Nope, I don’t see it,” she deadpanned, then laughed as Johnny’s face fell. “We could totally be long lost cousins or something with as much as you look like my Da.”

“Da?” Johnny teased. “What’s wrong, couldn’t you say it right when you were little?” Maggie smacked Johnny’s chest and snorted a laugh.

“No, you dork. It’s a Gaelic term of endearment for one’s father.” She squinted a bit and continued, much more open with Johnny than with anyone else she didn’t already know. “Da is Irish and Pop is Jewish, but the old Brooklyn slang never quite left Pop, so he taught me to call him that before I could even talk.”

“Is it weird for you?” Johnny asked cautiously.

“What, having two dads? Nope,” she said popping the ‘p’.

Johnny shook his head. “No, not the dads thing. Being _enhanced,”_ he asked quietly and low next to Maggie’s ear. Maggie moved quickly back, the low rumble of Johnny’s voice in her ear making her suddenly uncomfortable. She didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea, especially Peter. Not that he’d get mad at her, but she had _feelings_ for him, _okay?_ Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do.

The song came to an end, just in time and they separated. Johnny gently pulled Maggie in by her hand and bowed next to her to the applause of the rest of the student body as they finished the dance. She smiled, but watched him in her peripheral vision, noticing that he did the same. He kept his eyes forward and asked quietly, “Can I talk to you about it sometime?”

She turned with him and bowed to the other side of the room, answering just as quietly as he asked, “Sure, sounds like we have a lot to discuss.”

Mr. Morita brought Maggie’s flowers to her and she returned to her table, surprised to see Peter and Ned missing. “Where’d the guys go?” she asked MJ as she sat next to her best friend.

“Pete left, I think he might be getting some air.” Maggie cocked her head and squinted her eyes. There was something MJ wasn’t saying. She rolled her eyes and continued, not able to keep anything from Maggie. “I think he, uh, well. You and Johnny, huh?”

 _“WHAT?”_ Maggie asked in pure and utter surprise. MJ _knew better,_ didn’t she? “You’re kidding, right? It was like dancing with a young version of my _Da!”_ MJ held up her hands in response, shaking her head.

“Look Pegs, I know how you feel about Pete, but does he? Because it looked like Johnny was totally flirting with you and you looked real cozy with him, too.” Maggie slumped into her chair, grateful for MJ’s candor. She didn’t accuse Maggie of anything, just told her what it looked like, which is _exactly_ what Maggie was afraid it would look like. _Great, just freaking fabulous._ She needed to find Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fear not, the night is far from over...


	21. This is a First

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse the errors, I have no Beta.

**This is a First**

  
Maggie excused herself from the table and MJ followed her. They exited the gym and rounded the hall near the bathrooms. Ned stood leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets and perked up when he saw the girls coming.

  
“Where’s Pete?” MJ demanded, and Ned snapped to attention.

  
“He just needs a few minutes, guys,” Ned replied softly and Maggie’s heart sank. She leaned against the wall next to Ned and MJ did the same.

  
“Did he say anything Ned?” Maggie asked quietly and Ned just kinda shrugged. “Is there anyone else in there?”

  
“No, everyone was busy with the Royal Dance. Congratulations, by the way, Maggie.” She shrugged and smiled in return, suddenly feeling silly walking around with a cheap metal tiara on her head.

  
“Can you guys watch the door for me, please?” Maggie asked as she knocked loudly before opening the door and calling in to Peter. He didn’t answer, so she took a breath, pushed her shoulders back and walked in, announcing, “I’m coming in…”

  
She entered the boy’s bathroom and stopped hesitantly just inside the door. Peter was leaning against the far wall, his feet crossed and his head down, hands in his pockets. He looked up in surprise when he heard her come in.

  
“Maggie, what are you doing in here?”

  
“You left, and then MJ told me how it looked with Johnny- but that wasn’t it, Peter, really” she stuttered out, coming fully into the room, hands on her hips. Her frustration in not being able to say what was on her mind was finally getting to her.

  
“Look, I don’t- it’s okay, Maggie. It’s not like you aren’t allowed to talk to people,” Peter shrugged and pushed away from the wall. “We’re friends and you’re free to do what you want. You don’t have to worry, I wouldn’t ever try to control you. I just didn’t know you and Johnny were tight like that, and then Flash said… Well it doesn’t matter what he said but then I didn’t know what to say, or think. I’m sorry.”

  
Flash. Now it made sense. Why couldn’t that jackass just leave Peter alone? Maggie’s brow furrowed and she reached out to Peter, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head against his chest. “I’m sorry he’s such an asshole to you,” she muttered.

  
Peter laughed at her choice of words, since she usually didn’t talk like that and hugged her back, holding her close. He went to bury his face in her hair and was met with a rhinestone tiara and weaponized hair accessories. They both laughed when they looked back at each other in the mirror.

  
“Hang on,” Maggie said, and pulled all of the crap out of her hair. Her dark brown curls fell around her shoulders and she rubbed her head lightly.

  
Maggie stepped closer to Peter, going in to hug him again but he gently cupped her cheeks with his hands. She heard his heartbeat thudding faster in his chest. She shyly bit her lip and a blush rose to her cheeks.

  
When she did that, Peter couldn’t keep his eyes off her lips even if he wanted to. He looked back up into her bright blue eyes, shadowed by those ridiculously long lashes. His thumb lightly stroked her cheek, feeling the slight rise in temperature of her skin. She leaned in a little closer and her eyes met the soft honey-brown of Peter’s.

  
“Maggie, can I kiss you?”

  
She nodded and her eyes fluttered closed. Within a second, she felt the soft, warm press of Peter’s lips to her own. At first it was feather-light and unsure, neither of them having experienced it before. They separated and their eyes met again, then Maggie pulled Peter closer and this time kissed back, enjoying the new sensations. The pounding of her heart in her chest, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins and the soft, warm kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure why this is formatted so weirdly. Thank you for the comments and kudos, everyone!


	22. This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does Peter go looking for trouble or does it just naturally follow him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Canon- typical violence, Minor character death

**This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things**

Maggie and Peter both jumped from the pounding sounds on the outside of the door. They separated, both a little breathless and each with their hearts in their throats. Maggie’s cheeks were pinked and her lips were a little shiny and fuller from the kiss. Peter never thought she looked more beautiful. He bent and kissed her warm cheek before going to stick his head out the door and see what the fuss was about. 

“You guys having a party in there or somethin’?” MJ asked, her eyes narrowed as she regarded him curiously. 

“Oh… Yeah, yeah, sorry. We’ll be right out.” He shut the door and turned back. Maggie finished sliding the sticks into place to secure her bun, and picked up the tiara. He smiled softly, holding his hand out. “May I?”

Maggie smiled and handed the crown to Peter, and he gently placed it on her head with a smile. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and reached for her hand.

When they exited the bathroom, hand in hand, Ned and MJ both looked at each other and smiled. Maggie hooked her other arm with MJ and the taller girl shot her a knowing little smirk. She knew MJ would have questions, and honestly, she couldn't wait to tell her best friend that she’d finally been kissed. 

On the way in to the main gymnasium, the group bumped into Flash and his friends. Peter didn’t miss the not-so-pleasantly surprised glance the bully shot to his hand, being intertwined with Maggie’s.  _ Yeah, nice try, Flash.  _

A prearranged set was playing, and the dance floor was filled back up. Maggie’s bright eyes darted to her friends and she quirked a brow, nodding to the dancefloor. On the way, a couple different people Maggie  _ knew of _ but didn’t really _ know, _ stopped to congratulate her on being voted Homecoming Queen. 

The new attention made her flush from nerves, and she was thankful for Peter and MJ pulling her along to dance. The music had just slowed and Peter pulled her close. His hand splayed across her back and she nuzzled her face close to the crook of his neck. 

Maggie breathed out a happy sigh and her sweet breath tickled Peter’s neck, the feeling both dizzying and intoxicating to him. And  _ Jesus,  _ the feeling of her in his arms; he couldn’t imagine anything better. His thumb caressed the small strip of soft, toned flesh on her back between her crop top and the skirt of her dress, and-  _ okay, holy shit, pull it together, Peter. _

His eyes widened and he looked around at the couples dancing near them, hoping nobody picked up on _ the things _ that just barged into his brain. Of course, he came face to face with Johnny  _ freaking _ Storm, who pointedly looked at his hand, more specifically his thumb, and then met his eyes. Peter didn’t miss the muscle in Johnny’s jaw jump and the flash of a frown on his chiseled features.

Peter’s brow furrowed and he looked at the giant freshman curiously, debating why he was so interested in Maggie  _ all of a sudden.  _ Maggie had always been beautiful, so did Johnny just notice her after the name thing, or was it because they were crowned together? Either way, too late, hotshot. Maggie was Peter’s- uh his… They hadn’t labeled their relationship, actually. 

Johnny seemed to realize that whatever he was just thinking was obviously not just in his head, but indeed outloud on his face, and quickly looked away. Peter kept half of his attention focused on Johnny and his wandering eyes as he continued to dance with Maggie, until she stopped moving, lifted her head and did that little thing again where she nibbled on her bottom lip.

“Can I ask you somethin’?” he breathed softly, his heart thudding away violently. 

“You just did,” she teased with a crooked little smirk. He huffed out a nervous little laugh, continuing to sway gently with the music.

“Okay, so something else…,” he rolled a small movement in his neck nervously. “Can I call you my girlfriend?”

Maggie stopped abruptly and pulled back. “Do you feel that?” she asked, her eyes widened in alarm. 

Peter was feeling lots of things, namely intense attraction and possessiveness, but he'd never admit that to the free press. He listened closely, and not two seconds later he felt a rhythmic rumbling in the ground and he got goosebumps. 

“Stay here,” he told Maggie, backing away and keeping his eye on her until he was out the door. He ran down the hall and out the main doors, into the chilly fall air. The rhythmic vibrations in the ground were getting stronger, and he could hear them now, too. 

Sounds of an explosion and a flash of reddish-orange sparks shot out of the entrance to the subway across from the school’s entrance. Smoke billowed into the air. People came running out, panicking and screaming like they usually did ever since the great Battle of New York so many years ago. Peter darted across the street, determined to identify the threat and keep it as far away as possible from Maggie and the rest of the school. 

“Wait! Peter!” Maggie yelled and ran to his side. She caught him by the time he was halfway across the street, the two of them stopped in the center lane.

“Get back inside, Maggie!” he demanded. 

She stepped back, shocked at his tone. Her jaw set, as did her fists. “I’m not a helpless child, Peter!” She met his eyes defiantly, shining blue pools of rage burning bright.

“Hey guys, wanna check out whatever’s causing all that?” Johnny nodded his chin toward the smoke from behind the two. 

“Seriously, Storm?” Peter growled. What was with this guy? “You should get back inside. Take Maggie with you.”

Maggie crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes and kicked her hip out. Johnny looked between the two and held up his hands in surrender. 

“Not. Happening. Peter,” Maggie growled.

“Ugh! Fine, but be careful,” he grumbled. 

Another, larger explosion rocked the subway. Maggie planted her feet, keeping her balance and pulled her throwing spikes from her hair. Peter crouched a bit, preparing to attack, the two of them each ignoring Johnny completely. They advanced quickly, carefully. 

Once they crossed the street completely, large mechanical appendages climbed up the stairs, clawing into the concrete. One clawed, then they heard a rumbling sound like something heavy being dragged. Then another, and more dragging. The third and fourth arms clamped onto the sidewalk, crushing into the concrete like chalk until they found purchase.

The heavy dragging, as well as the man  _ attached _ to the appendages came into view. Peter stopped short, taking in Maggie’s position and drawing the attention to himself so she could find better cover.

“Doctor Octavius?” he asked, surprised. Surely, this couldn’t be the same man May dated a few months back. Peter had gotten a good look at him before, fangirling over the guy’s work in Nuclear Physics before super freaky spidey vibes were all he could see. He’d luckily convinced May to not see him anymore, and the doctor hadn’t taken too kindly to that.

“Ahh, Mr. Parker. I hoped to find you here.” Dr. Octavius said, and if Peter could see through the dark welding-grade lenses the guy was sporting, he’d swear he was glaring.

“Yeah? Well, it’s Homecoming night and all, so…” Peter drawled, stalling. His eyes shot for a brief second to Maggie, who had helped a young mother and her two children out of the way before the overhang of the subway entrance fell with a groan of bent metal, right where they’d been hiding from the man.

“Whaddya got there, doc?” Peter nodded his chin in the direction of the small car-sized metal cage containing what could only be explained as a nuclear reactor. There was a spinning core, that glowed brighter orange by the second. As is glowed, the air around them warmed and swirled. 

He laughed. “This,” the doctor said in a booming voice as he drug it closer to the edge of the wide sidewalk. “This, my dear boy, is my life’s work. Everything I’ve sacrificed for, tonight will again be mine.” He licked his lips and smiled down maniacally at Peter from his elevated position due to the large metal appendages holding him off the ground. “And I’m so glad you’re here to see it. She will be too, when it brings her.”

“Oh yeah?” Peter asked, trying to keep his tone light, though he had a pretty good idea who  _ ‘she’ _ was. “Who’s that?”

The big man laughed again, “Who?” he asked. “Don’t play dumb with me, boy!”

Another, older, woman huddled in the rubble was being helped by Maggie, down and away from the destruction. Peter shot her a look, toward the school, hoping she’d figure out what he wanted her to do. Everyone from the subway entrance was clear, and they needed to evacuate the school, like yesterday. She nodded, silently and turned to cross the street when a metal clamp grasped her tightly around her torso, making her scream in pain. 

“Maggie!” Peter yelled and he leapt into action. He fought the man hard, not pulling any punches and clobbering the man every chance he got, in a blind rage.

Maggie bit down onto her metal spikes, holding them in her mouth. She squirmed in the stronghold of the metal claw, and managed to get her hands wrapped around two of the prongs. Once she had a firm grip, she roared, arching back, the struggle taking everything she had. She kept on it until the metal of the claws whined and pieces snapped off, dropping Maggie unceremoniously onto the pavement. She climbed to her feet, taking in the struggle between Peter and the man. 

Peter kept fighting, even though any normal person would surely be dead by that point. Part of her wanted to run to him, but she’d seen him take worse and she needed to get that thing he had with him stopped, whatever it was. It glowed an even brighter orange, and the air whipped faster around them. 

Maggie grabbed another metal tentacle, just as the man was winding up to punch Peter with it. He stopped abruptly, finally taking a good look at the girl as she struggled with the second claw. “And you must be the Captain’s girl.” There was an evil gleam in his eye as he stopped attacking Peter and focused all of his energy on Maggie, walking closer to her, using the two remaining tentacles as legs.

Maggie glared defiantly up at the man as Peter slowly pulled himself to his feet. She gritted the spikes between her teeth and groaned in effort as she pulled the metal spikes of the tentacle in her hands apart, rendering it useless, too. She took her spikes from her mouth and fiddled with them in her hands, gauging the weight and diameter of the titanium as she flipped them casually.

She saw Peter’s hand signal to her, indicating a circular pattern and eyeing the two remaining legs. Maggie smirked, having seen that strategy in a really old movie. The man was making to advance closer to Maggie and she flipped out of his reach at the last minute, her training taking hold and all emotion draining from her. She felt powerful, and the calm, cool expression on her face enraged the doctor.

“You can’t escape me, child! Everything will bend to my will, soon you’ll see... You’ll all see!” He lunged for her once again, and when he did, Peter webbed the appendage that was off the ground. He pulled tight and webbed the second, securing them to each other, and the towering man fell from his upright position. Once he was down, Maggie threw one of her spikes directly at the power connection, causing the pack to spark and fizzle before the appendages dropped like dead weight.

He crumbled to the concrete with a deep thudding sound, and bellowed a groan in frustration. “No!” he hollered. “Let me go, there’s not stopping it!” 

“Shut it down!” Peter ordered the man, as he struggled against the webbing, trying to crawl toward the glowing machine.  

“I- I can’t. It’s too powerful now…” he said in a quieted, less crazed tone, and Peter rushed to the man’s side, pushing off the tinted goggles. 

“Dr. Octavius, come on. Help me out here, okay?” Peter urged kindly, recognizing the fear in the man’s eyes. It was like he’d just awoken from a horrible dream, and was horrified at what he’d done. “There’s got to be a way.”

The man shook his head in defeat. “No… The sequence has begun. I- I told you, I can’t stop it. You have to leave, Peter. Get as many people away from here as you can!” The man’s eyes were haunted, horrified with the knowledge of the destruction that would come.

Peter nodded. “How far?” he asked quietly. 

The man shuddered. “Half a square mile, Peter, now go!”

“You too! Let’s get you out of this thing!” Maggie ordered the man who’d just moments before tried to kill her. The temperature was increasing from the reactor, and the metal connections of the doctor’s suit were heating up rapidly. He caught her hand in his own when she tried to free him of the now dead weight.

“You can’t! It’s fused with my spine, and you’ll just burn yourself!” He sighed. “Either way, I’m good as dead.” He actually thought he’d be able to control all that power, when in reality it consumed him, using him as a host.

“Iron Man,” a voice said from behind Maggie and Peter. They turned to see Johnny standing there, resolute in whatever idea it was he had about Tony.

“What?” they said in unison. 

“Get out of here Storm!” Peter ordered. 

“No! Remember the Battle of New York? The nuke?” Johnny asked and the doctor nodded in understanding before dropping his shoulders. 

He shook his head. “We’ve got less than two minutes, kid. Just get out of here. There’s no hole ripped in the universe anywhere near here.”

“What about the ocean? If I get you into the middle of the ocean… You said a half square mile. It could work, right?” Johnny asked and the doctor laughed. 

“Yeah, but you don’t fly, kid!”

Johnny looked at Maggie and Peter, a cocky little smirk teasing the corners of his mouth. He moved to the back of the metal pack attached to the doctor and the glowing metal cube, wrapping a large hand securely around each. 

Maggie and Peter watched in silent awe as Johnny burst into flames and shot up off the ground, carrying the doctor, the dead metal appendages, and the heated nuclear core. The trail of flames following Johnny could be seen streaking across the sky for miles. A glowing ball they recognized as the reactor fell from the sky and a blaze of fire shot back toward the city. A large explosion was heard and a plume of glowing orange water could be seen shooting thousands of feet into the sky.

Peter wrapped his arms around Maggie, pulling her close to himself and wiping the tear that broke free of her eyes. She couldn’t get used to death, even if it was the bad guy. And this bad guy didn’t really seem all that bad, more lost than anything.

“I’m sorry,” Peter said quietly and Maggie pulled back to meet his eyes. 

“Why?”

Peter shook his head. “I didn’t want you to get hurt, but that doesn’t excuse me bossing you around.”

She smiled, pulling him in for a quick peck on the lips. “Then don’t do it again.” They kissed again, and a warm rush of air blew against them both.

“Hey guys,” Johnny said, changing from flame-engulfed, back into a normal-looking behemoth of a freshman.

“Johnny!” Maggie gasped and hugged him, pulling back to look him over. “Are you okay?”

He shrugged and smiled at her. “I guess we really need to have that talk now, huh?” He looked to Peter and extended his hand, nodding to him. “Parker.”

“Storm,” Peter replied and the three turned to the sounds of a fire truck wailing down the street. 

Mr. Morita crossed quickly before the truck pulled up. “Kids, what the hell is going on here? I was told there was an explosion? A fire and a meteor storm or something?”

Johnny, Maggie and Peter all laughed. “There was something in the subway, sir. We just wanted to make sure everyone was safe,” Maggie lied.

Mr. Morita looked back at the three suspiciously. He’d heard stories from his grandfather of how Steve and Bucky could lie through their teeth when the commandos had gotten into something unsanctioned, all because of Captain America’s moral compass pointing due north regardless of what their orders were. 

He shook his head and sighed. “This is why we can’t have nice things. Now get back inside while I figure this out with the authorities.”


	23. The Day After Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day after Homecoming, and there's no going back. Peter has to tell May about his "internship" if he wants to work with the Avengers, or wear the suit ever again.
> 
> May's got other suspicions about what's behind Peter's nerves and strange behavior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any grammar or spelling errors, I have no beta. I hope you all enjoy!

**The Day After Tomorrow**

Peter rolled out of bed early Sunday morning, determined to do something nice for May. He started the coffee pot and pulled out a package of her favorite turkey bacon. Delicious sounds and smells of dark roast percolating and bacon sizzling filled the kitchen of their modest apartment.

“What’s this?” May asked, walking into the kitchen, her eyes heavily lidded from sleepiness. 

“Thought I’d do somethin’ around here for a change. Hungry?” He pulled out a chair for her at the breakfast nook, and handed her a cup of coffee, black with two sugars, just as she liked it.

“Thank you, Peter, that’s so sweet,” she smiled into her cup and took a careful drink.

Peter plated the bacon with fresh toasted sesame bread and cream cheese, and sat next to May. They each ate quietly in comfortable silence, until Peter spoke up again.

“You mind comin’ with me to Maggie’s later?” he asked casually, sticking a strip of bacon on his bread and cream cheese.

May looked curiously at her nephew. It wasn’t every day a teenager wanted his parental figure hanging out with his girlfriend, but she’d take what she could get. Peter was always so busy, either with school or friends, or the internship, or whatever the latest thing he was working on in shop class.

“You know I never mind, Peter. Just let me get a few things done here and shower, okay?” She turned back to her coffee and held the cup in her hands, enjoying the heated ceramic warming her skin. She huffed a soft laugh. “Maybe I can beat Tony Stark out of another three hundred dollars.”

_ Oh, you’ll beat Tony stark, alright.  _

 

May noticed the strange way Peter was behaving. The closer they got to the Tower, the more nervous he became. Of course, in true parenting fashion, her mind began racing. If there was a Olympic event for jumping to conclusions, she’s surely be a gold medalist by then.

Just before they entered the Tower lobby, she couldn’t contain herself any longer. “Okay, something’s up. What’s going on, Peter?”

The teen froze for a second and his brown eyes widened. Call him chicken shit, but he really wanted to talk this out with the Avengers present, after all, they could vouch for his abilities. 

“It’s uh, just some time to talk with everyone, is all. Both of our families. No big deal, really,” Peter shrugged and May’s eyes widened.

She gasped. “Oh my God, Peter! Is Maggie  _ pregnant?  _ I read a study about teen pregnancy. _ Please _ tell me you didn’t get her pregnant!” 

_ “What? _ No! Are you serious?  _ Jeez,  _ May!” Peter squeaked, then died a little inside for making that noise. “We just now- I mean we haven’t-  _ Oh my God, May! _ We’re not having this conversation...” He shook his head, his cheeks burning bright pink as he turned away, pacing nervously back and forth.

May was relieved, glad she’d jumped to conclusions. She gently tugged his arm, turning him back to face her. “It’s okay, Peter,” she soothed, moving in front of him so he looked at her. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it together, as a family, okay?”   

He nodded, grateful for the quirky woman. Taking a breath, ne nodded toward the building entrance. “Ready?”

They proceeded to the security desk to get their visitor passes, and Peter blew out a breath. At least he knew May’s biggest fear now, _ so there’s that. _ Peter shook hands with the older guard he regularly saw on weekends and greeted the man with a smile.

“Ah, young Mr. Parker, good to see ya,” the guard smiled. He looked to May and winked. “Brought your sister this time, I see.”

“Heya Stan,” the teen greeted. He nodded to May, “This is my Aunt May, the one I was tellin’ you about.”   
The older man smiled wide. “You never said she was _ beautiful. _ Holdin’ out on me, hey kid?”

“Thank you, sir,” May blushed at the attention of the sweet older man. He was adorable.

“Nah, call me Stan,” he said and handed over her key card. “Enjoy your visit, you two.”

 

Peter held the side of the lift door while May exited. It was a habit, really. The building was far too intelligent for the door to shut unexpectedly, but he _ was _ raised right. Maggie greeted May first with a hug, then Peter, who dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. She lead them into the common room, which served as a communal kitchen, living and dining room for the team. It was decorated in warmer tones and softer fabrics since it wasn’t party central, like the lounge level where their first introductions had taken place 

“May, Peter, please come in,” Steve called from the kitchen where he had just finished pouring a pitcher of iced tea. He brought the pitcher to the table and wiped his hands on the back of his jeans before offering his hand in greeting.

Bucky nodded a smile as he finished cleaning his favorite kind of pointy things for the kitchen, then brought a tray of fruits, cheeses and crackers to the smaller casual table and pulled out the chair at the end for May. Steve sat at the head, Maggie and Peter along the side, and Bucky sat next to Steve. 

“It’s good to see you guys again,” he said with a friendly smirk teasing the corner of his lips, and yeah, May could  _ totally  _ see how Steve Rogers had fallen for the sexy guy so many decades ago.

“Hey J, is Uncle Tony coming?” Maggie asked up to the ceiling,then nodding to the open seat across from Peter.

_ ‘On his way, Miss. There was a small incident in the lab. Sir offers his apologies for being a few moments late,’ _ Jarvis replied politely.

Bucky shook his head and snorted, and May widened her eyes. “Is that bad?” she asked, brows rising in curiosity.

“Nah,” he shrugged, “ _ s’  _ actually pretty normal, unfortunately. Tony’s a genius. Common sense is a different story.”

“Haven’t burned the building down yet, Buck-o,” Tony retorted, entering through the stairwell. He pulled on a t-shirt with Bruce Lee DJ-ing on the front over his undershirt, which still smouldered around the edges. 

Tony winked at May and flashed one of his billion-dollar smiles, doing his best to butter her up before _ the talk. _ He reached out for her hand, ghosting a kiss over her knuckles and making her blush. “It’s very nice to see you, May,” he practically purred. 

“Oh, okay,” May laughed in her nervous little way and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Nice to see you too, Tony.”

“So,” Tony said, clasping his hands and rubbing them together in delight at the lovely fruit and cheese spread on the table. He sat next to May and filled his plate. “How was Homecoming?”

Peter and Maggie both looked at each other, as if trying to decide if they should come clean or not just then. “I uh, I got voted Homecoming Queen, Uncle Tony,” she replied, gauging Tony’s response.

“Really? Well, that’s great Peanut, congratulations!” The look of pride on his face was evident, but there was no hint of surprise in the tone. Maggie didn’t miss a thing because, well, Natasha taught her well.

“You already knew that though, didn’t you?” she stated, more than asked. 

“Yeah, well a little birdie may have told me” he admitted. Tony had never really been a great liar, and he hadn’t ever even wanted to try with Maggie. It was one of their things. Honesty, sometimes brutal, but honesty nonetheless.

Maggie widened her eyes at Steve and Bucky. “Uncle Clint was there?” she asked, incredulously. It never even occurred to her that agents, or family for that matter, had been there for _ the incident _ the previous night.

Steve smiled back at his daughter. “You guys had it under control, sweetheart,” he said simply.

“Wait- you guys had what under control? Did something happen at Homecoming, Peter?” May interrupted. She had seen the news and the interview with Principal Morita telling the media that the school itself was unaffected, every student safe and accounted for.

“Nothin’ at school, May. There was the mess across the street by the subway, but that’s all,” he answered vaguely. 

Peter looked to Steve, who raised a brow and nodded permission for him to tell May the whole story. He and Bucky had both made it very clear to him they  _ expected _ nothing less that his discretion when it came to Maggie, and the previous evening involved her just as much as it did himself. 

He took a deep breath and wiped his hands on his thighs, his leg bouncing nervously. “When we knew somethin was wrong, I left to make sure everything was okay, you know?” he began and May nodded, waiting for more.

“We both left, actually,” Maggie added, catching Peter’s hand under the table. She knew how intimidating it was to change her name and have people know her real identity, but those were classmates. She could only imagine how difficult it would be to come clean to family, like Peter was doing.

“There was an explosion, May,” Peter continued, filled with confidence at Maggie’s touch. “And, it was Doctor Octavius. He wasn’t the same, like he was being controlled by somethin’.”

May’s brow furrowed. She knew Peter didn’t like the guy, but he’d never done anything crazy, well, that she knew of. “Are- are you sure it was him” she asked Peter.

He nodded, “Positive. He knew me.”

“Oh, God,” May whispered, her hand flitting up to her throat. Her voice rose when she realized the magnitude of what could have happened. “Did he hurt you? Did they catch him? Oh my God, Peter! We agreed, you see something like that happen and you run the other way, right?”

Peter shook his head and looked down. “He’s gone, May. I’m sorry,” he said quietly, and Maggie blinked back the tears that threatened to sting her eyes.

“Why did you guys get involved? You could have been hurt!” May chastised the teens. She’d take the time to process her own feelings about Octavius later, right then it didn’t matter. She narrowed her eyes, then, turning to Steve. “And you, you  _ knew  _ about this? Why do I get the feeling there’s more going on here?”

“It’s my fault,” Tony blurted. “I trained him, May, without consulting you, any of you,” he said to everyone in general.

“What?” May’s face screwed up in confusion. “You trained Peter? You mean the internship, right? I did know about that.”

“The scope wasn’t what I presented,” Tony answered, looking guilty. “I’d like to continue working with him, with your permission, of course.”

May didn’t answer at first. She just sat quietly, her leg shaking under the table. The mirroring of Peter’s nervous tick wasn’t lost on him, and he reached out for her hand. 

“Remember about a year and a half ago when I stopped wearin’ my glasses?” he asked quietly, ducking to catch May’s eyes. She nodded. “That’s not the only thing that changed.”

She chuckled, “Peter, I’m pretty sure I know what happens when puberty hits. Things change.”

Peter’s eyes widened and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he buried his face in his hands. He mumbled, “Oh my God, how is this my life?”

Bucky snorted a laugh, along with almost everyone else. He took pity on the kid and asked, “Tony, why don’t you show her the early feed you showed us?” 

Tony took his phone out of his pocket, located a video and flipped the screen so shit flew up into the air above the table. The clip Tony originally showed Peter in his room so long ago played back and May watched quietly. Next, Tony brought up footage from the building when it was under attack and Peter came to protect Maggie. Maggie gasped softly at the sight, the memory of Peter’s lifeless body crashing against the steel wall still too vivid in her mind. Thankfully, the clip was edited down to just the part where Peter swung into Tony’s lab and had the upper hand. 

The sound of Peter talking smack like a cocky teenager the whole time played on Tony’s phone until the clip ended and Peter winced. May’s eyes flew open, round and wide, then shot to Peter as her jaw dropped.

_ “What the fuck? _ ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who is a fellow fan of horribly written disaster movies like me?   
> If you are, you got the title of this chapter ;)


	24. Let Me Explain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May gets to have her say...

**Let Me Explain**

May shot up from her seat at the table and paced the dining area floor. She mumbled to herself unintelligibly, and shook her head back and forth before stopping short and looking expectantly at Peter, hands on her hips.

“Please- I- Just, let me explain, May? I can explain,” Peter begged. 

May narrowed her eyes and kicked out a hip. “Oh, this better be good, young man,” she growled and folded her arms across her chest.

“I- I didn’t mean for any of it to happen, but when I found out what I could do, I couldn’t just  _ not- _ I don’t know-  _ Help out? _ I mean, yeah at first it was fun messin’ around, but… It’s bigger than that.” Peter looked down, searching for the words he needed to help her understand, and found himself repeating what he’d told Tony when they first met.

“When you can do the things I can do, there’s a responsibility there. I had to, you know? But I didn’t want to worry you, so I never said anything.” He looked up, brows raised with a sincere apology in his eyes. “I’m _ so sorry _ for not being honest with you, May.”

May’s head dropped and she stood quietly for a moment before wiping her hands across her eyes and down her face. She blew out a forced breath and nodded before sitting back down. Once seated, she reached out for Peter’s hands and held it in her own.

“You don’t have to hide anything from me, Peter,” she implored, “we’re family, okay? What if something happened? I’d have no idea how to find you! You can’t do that to me...”

Peter nodded. “Okay, I’m sorry,” he apologized again, his voice tender, then the moment was interrupted courtesy of Tony’s invariably poor timing. 

“Whelp,” he said, popping the “p”. “I’m glad that’s settled. We’re good to continue full steam then?”

“Tony!” Steve and Bucky both chided as May pursed her lips in Tony’s direction.

“Now hold on,” May said, holding her hand up in Tony’s direction. “I don’t think you’ve explained enough just yet. What exactly does this _ training _ you’re talking about entail?”

Steve answered for Tony, which was good because May looked about ready to clobber him. “We’ll start by establishing a baseline for strength and endurance. I’m not just talking physically, we’ll work on conflict negotiation, diplomacy, discipline, strategic planning, the whole thing. Maggie’s training with us  after her birthday in two weeks, so we can begin Peter at the same time.”

“You’re gonna do this with Maggie too?” May asked incredulously. “But she’s just a kid.”

“Yes, she is. But she’s also got superhuman strength and speed.” Bucky reached out for Steve’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I know it’s different for us, we pretty much knew what we were getting into before she was born.”

Steve leaned forward, meeting May’s eyes. “We get it. We’d like to keep her little forever, but it would be irresponsible to not show her how to optimize her abilities safely and for the good of others.”

May nodded thoughtfully, softening at the super soldier’s approach. She peered at Tony again, “This is happening whether or not I want it to, isn’t it?” 

“No, absolutely not.” Tony sighed, looking down at his hands, continuing, “I can’t apologize enough for the way I handled it before, but no. If you’re not on board, this all stops. We can’t undo what’s been done, change Peter into something he’s not, but we won’t work with him if you don’t approve.”

May sat back, folding her arms across her chest. “I have expectations, Stark,” she demanded. 

“Anything.”

“You keep him safe. I don’t care what it costs. You keep both these kids safe,” she ordered, eyes shifting to Steve and Bucky as well. “Teach them right, and I’m in.” 


	25. Straight Outta Peggy's Playbook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is inspired by Ed Sheeran's song Kiss Me and also by Peggy Carter's impressive balls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Teenage sexuality, making out and good old fashioned frottage ahead

**Straight Outta Peggy’s Playbook**

A few months passed uneventfully. Maggie was well into her sixteenth year. Peter still hadn't been caught doing anything stupid enough to warrant death by The Soldier. May was finally used to Peter training with the Avengers.

Another threat had been avoided thanks to the skill and ability of the team. The damage that was done, was ugly in the political variety. Everyone made it through the fight safely, however the team was called to DC to testify and handle the political fallout from the latest Hydra data dump.

Almost everyone that is, because let's be real. Tony Stark had never been _anyone's_ first choice of someone to handle politics. Thanks for pointing that one out, Natasha. No, really.

Midterms were rapidly approaching, which meant Maggie, MJ, Peter and Ned should have all been in the LOFT studying. The four quickly became two when MJ and Ned ducked out to see a movie, leaving Maggie and Peter alone. They laid side by side, spread out on the plush rug with textbooks, notecards, Starkpads and a big plate of chopped fruit littering the space around them. After all, understanding the process of DNA methylation didn't exactly happen on its own.

“No, wait. What if the DNA methylation process isn’t RNA-directed? We’d have a totally different result in the Thale Cress, right?”

Maggie scooted closer, reached across Peter and opened his textbook to the page outlining plant-based regulation and function. He read over the paragraph she pointed to.

“Of course! I can’t believe I missed that one,” Peter facepalmed. He smiled over at Maggie then froze, completely lost for his train of thought, and breathed out a quiet ‘ _wow’._

“What?” she teased. She looked down, then back up at him through her stupidly-long dark lashes.

“What?” he parroted back and gave a nervous little laugh, turning on his side to face her. Maggie could feel the blush blooming on her cheeks and nibbled her lip out of habit and his eyes followed her lips. Peter sighed and raked his hand through his hair, then down his face. _“Jesus._ You gotta stop doin’ that.”

“Doing what?”

“Doin’ things that make me wanna kiss you.”

Maggie looked down and did her best to hide the devious little smirk that threatened to make itself known. And just like that, taking a page straight out of Peggy’s playbook, she grabbed Peter by the collar and pulled him in for a tender kiss. She turned onto her back and he followed her over, his free hand cradling her face gently.

Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and skimmed up the skin of his sides. He groaned into her mouth and slid one leg between hers, pressing down onto her more. They explored deeper into each other's mouths, tasting, but then Peter broke the kiss.

He stuttered out a breathless, “Wait... I - Maggie, we can’t...”

His eyes darted nervously to the open double doors of the loft. Tony was busy in his labs science-ing away, and would likely stay there until Maggie dragged him out in the morning before school. They were the only two people on that level of the Tower, and it wasn’t like they couldn’t hear when someone exited the elevator or walked down the hall from the stairs…

 _“Please?”_ Maggie begged quietly, lightly trailing her fingertips up and down the skin of Peter’s sides. “Peter, please… _come here,”_ she whispered and stretched up to kiss him again, this time just under the angle of his jaw, and then lower down his neck. Maggie could be _very_ persuasive when she wanted something, after all she learned from the best.

Settle down with me  
Cover me up, cuddle me in  
Lie down with me  
And hold me in your arms

And your heart's against my chest  
Your lips pressed to my neck  
I'm falling for your eyes  
But they don't know me yet  
And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now

Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
This feels like falling in love  
We're falling in love  
We're falling in love

It wasn’t a first, necessarily. They had kissed plenty of times since homecoming. Things had even gotten pretty heated while making out a couple of times when they were alone. It was, however, the first time Maggie was _lying beneath_ Peter, begging him to kiss her _like that._

She wiggled beneath him, ridding herself of her hoodie. He looked own at her beneath him, taking her in wearing only a cami and leggings. He tried, really he did, before letting out a strangled breath and diving head first into a downward spiral of the death of his self control. And really, who could blame him?

Their movements grew bolder, more demanding as they moved together. Peter's hand traced down Maggie's side, past her hip, and he hooked his hand under her knee as she brought it up to his hip. He settled the rest of the way over her and she instinctively hooked her other leg around him, encircling his hips.

He pressed hot, open mouth kisses down her graceful neck and followed her clavicle across to her shoulder, pulling the straps of her bra and cami down in the process. Their eyes met when he checked in with her again, not wanting to go too far. Her pupils were dilated, eyes bright with desire and there was a beautiful flush high up on her cheeks.

 _“Yes,”_ she breathed. “Peter, _touch me.”_

And really, how could any guy be expected to keep it together after something like that? Peter didn't know what it was he possibly could have done so right, but he praised his lucky stars regardless, right before diving back into Maggie's mouth.

With her permission, he let his hands roam. He touched, and kneaded, and caressed her soft flesh. His lips soon followed, tasting each new inch of skin. It was brand new and overwhelming to both of them, but soon they figured out a rhythm.

The firmer Peter’s hands and mouth were, the sweeter the noises that fell from Maggie's lips. The more desperately she clutched at his back, raking her blunt nails down his skin, the harder he pressed down on her in ways that had her breathing harder and faster. The need for friction overcame them both, and Maggie whimpered into Peter's mouth when he thrusted forward with his hips, grinding against her with his hardened arousal, stimulating her sensitive core _just right._

“Ohh!” she cried out and he struggled to steady himself above her. “Oh my God, _don't stop…”_ she breathed against his lips. “Do that again… Peter... _please, give me more,”_ she begged.

So he did.

Again.

_And again._

Maggie’s hands scrambled for purchase, at the expanse of Peter's shoulders, tugging at the back of his hair, digging into the skin at the small of his back, as he drove down against her harder. Her breathing became more erratic and a burning desire pooled, hot and needy in the pit her belly.

The need wound tighter and tighter before snapping like a rubber band and something deep inside her broke free. Every nerve ending in her body flooded with a pulsing heat and pleasure unlike anything she’d ever known.

“Peter!” she cried, louder than she meant to, and he covered her mouth in a searing kiss. He swallowed every desperate little noise she made as she came undone, writhing beneath him, whimpering through her release.

 _“Oh fuck,”_ Peter breathed into Maggie’s mouth. He’d never seen or felt anything so exquisite, so beautiful. “Maggie… so- _good…_ you feel _so good,”_ he groaned into her mouth as his hips stuttered against her core, harder… two, three more times. He came with a shudder and collapsed on top of her, sucking possessive kisses into her skin and panting against her neck.

Once their breathing settled, they kissed languidly. Peter twirled his fingers through a lock of Maggie’s hair and looked down at her like she was the most precious treasure on earth. He pressed chaste kisses over her exposed breasts and drew her bra and cami back up so she was covered.

Peter rolled over and laid on his back, pulling Maggie into his side. She laid her head on his chest and traced the skin along his neckline. She smiled bashfully, but looked up and asked what she wanted to know anyway.

“Did I make you- you know... Come?”

Peter looked up to the ceiling and his cheeks flushed warm. He smiled as he answered, “Yeah, yeah you did. What about you, did you?”

“Mm-hmm,” Maggie moaned and snuggled closer into Peter’s side. “You make me feel so amazing. I can’t even explain it.”

“You’re so beautiful, Maggie,” he turned his head and sighed as he smiled down at her, their eyes locked together. His voice went soft as he spoke. “Bein’ with you is…” he shook his head, speechless. “It’s like feelin’ the sun for the first time.” He brought her palm to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss into the center. “I’m so in love with you. I never wanna lose this.”

“You won’t, I promise. I’m yours,” she vowed, her eyes filling with happy tears from the wide array of emotions she felt. “I love you,” she kissed into his mouth. “We’re never gonna lose this.”

Settle down with me  
And I'll be your safety  
You'll be my lady  
I was made to keep your body warm  
But I'm cold as the wind blows  
So hold me in your arms  
Oh no

Yeah, I've been feeling everything  
From hate to love  
From love to lust  
From lust to truth  
I guess that's how I know you  
So I hold you close to help you give it up

So kiss me like you wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
This feels like falling in love  
We're falling in love  
We're falling in love  
Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
This feels like falling in love  
We're falling in love  
Falling in love


	26. Johnny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny needs help. Who better to go to that Natasha?

**Johnny**

Maggie made her way through the mess of students at assembly Tuesday morning. She spotted her new friend America by her trademark big natural hair the girl rocked on a daily basis. 

“America!” she called. The taller girl turned and waved Maggie over. She hugged Maggie and then stiffened when she saw the look of worry on her friend’s face. 

“Hey, have you seen Johnny?” Maggie asked. 

“No, is everything okay? I haven’t seen him in like a week. ”

Maggie shrugged. “I hope so.”

Johnny had been absent. Maggie texted him to see if she was okay after having recurring nightmares about him being in trouble. He hadn’t answered and it wasn’t like him. That did nothing to help the bad feeling she’d been carrying around for the better part of a few days.

Maggie frowned, then jumped when Peter came up behind her unexpectedly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped a kiss into her hair. She turned in his arms and hugged him, melting into his embrace. He always knew how to make her feel better.

“Everyone take your seats, please. Let’s begin,” Principal Morita announced and the students groaned. 

Maggie tried to pay attention. She tried to appear interested in the spring club announcements, college fair and other assembly related details. She even tried to stay engaged when Peter wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she melted into his side, but her attention officially split when her phone buzzed with a response from Johnny.

 

Johnny: I need your help.

Maggie: Are you okay? What happened? 

Johnny: Long story. Need to talk to you and Peter. Is 1900 ok?

Maggie: My place?

Johnny: Yeah. You think your parents will be there? Might need them too.

Maggie: Of course Johnny. We’ll help with whatever you need. 

Maggie: We’re here for you, ok?

 

That was the last Maggie heard from Johnny, so when she got home from school, she went straight to Natasha. 

“J, I need Aunty Nat, is she home?” Maggie called to the ceiling the minute she stepped into the lift. 

_ ‘Yes Miss, I shall advise her you are on your way.’ _

When Maggie exited the lift on Natasha’s level, she called out to her godmother.

_ “Krestnaya? Vy mOzhite mne pamOch? _ ”

Natasha came out of her bathroom. She was wrapped in a towel and her long red hair was dripping with water.

_ “Da! YA zdes', chto eto? Ty v poryadke?” _

“I think my friend is in trouble.”

If Natasha couldn’t help, then they were truly screwed. She told her godmother what Johnny said, and also told her what happened the night of Homecoming. 

“He burst into flames and flew away and you didn’t think to tell us?” Natasha asked, surprised that this was the first she was hearing about it. 

“I- I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. There was all the stuff with Dr. Octavius and then Peter had to tell May about training… then Johnny asked me to not say anything because he didn’t want to worry his mom or his sister.” 

Maggie remembered finding out after the fact that Clint was at her school the night of Homecoming. Had he not seen Johnny drop the doctor in the middle of the ocean? Surely he  _ must have _ known. 

“No. If Clint saw that, we would know.” 

Natasha had a point. Someone must have gone in to secure the area. It certainly wasn’t Maggie or either of the two guys.

“He secured the subway, didn’t he?” Maggie asked. 

Natasha nodded once affirmatively. That was it, then.

“But he’s in trouble Aunty Nat. I know he is, I can feel it.” 

“Come on,” Natasha nodded to the hall and wrapped her arm around Maggie’s shoulders.

Maggie followed the spy into her back room where she did her best research. As Natasha brought up the various databases, Maggie grabbed a robe from the back of the bathroom door just down the hall. 

“Ah, _ spasibo,” _ Natasha said and slipped into the garment. She stood and wrapped her hair up in the towel that had been wrapped around her body. “Okay,” she continued, cracking her knuckles once she was seated again. “What’s his name?”

“Johnny Storm.”

“Okay, we’ll also look under Jonathan. Age?”

“Uhm, I guess he’s 15? I don’t know, he’s a freshman but he’s like  _ really _ big and buff. He looks a lot like Da.”

Natasha’s brow furrowed. She remembered this kid when she and Clint checked the student body. There wasn’t anything on him other than an old photo. Had Steve not been scrawny and sickly at that age, he may have looked a lot like the kid.

She nodded as his history popped up on the screen. It listed a single mother, one sister who was studying abroad, and no other family. His birth certificate showed his father as  _ unknown.  _

“I remember him. There was very little background and something didn’t sit right. But, I couldn’t find anything else, so we let it go,” she sighed. “Wait- here… His mother is at Weill Cornell Burn Center, and her condition is listed as critical.”

“Oh my God,” Maggie gasped as her hands covered her mouth. 

“You said he bursts into flames?”

Maggie shook her head no, refusing to think it possible. Johnny couldn’t have done that to his mom. “But he controls it, Aunty Nat. He’s coming over tonight, and he needs our help. Can you come too?” 

Maggie knew her godmother would be there. All she had to do was ask, but either way, the confirmation made her feel better.

“He’s your friend?”

Maggie nodded earnestly. “He’s a good guy, Aunty Nat. There’s got to be more to it.”

“Then I’ll be there,  _ Milaya.” _

 

**Russian**

_ Vy mOzhite mne pamOch? = Can you help me? _

_ Da! YA zdes', chto eto? Ty v poryadke? = Yes! I'm here, what is it? Are you okay? _


	27. Family Ties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter references forced human experimentation, burns and minor character death.

Family Ties

  
That night Johnny came into the lobby wearing a baseball cap under a hoodie and another jacket on top of that. Stan, the evening guard looked up and stopped short when he met the kid’s worried bright blue eyes. Johnny shrank back into himself (as much as a giant man-sized kid could) and looked away, afraid of calling attention to himself.

  
“Can I- uh, can I help ya kid?” Stan asked, concern in his tone. The kid looked remarkably like Steve Rogers, but there was a desperate, almost haunted look in his tear-stained eyes.

  
“I’m here to see Maggie Rogers-Barnes,” Johnny answered quietly. He looked around and checked behind himself after speaking.

  
Stan checked the building’s security database for expected visitors and found Johnny’s name with an outdated picture. There was an alert marked *priority next to his name, and Stan smiled reassuringly at the kid. He swiped the visitor pass and handed it to Johnny, nodding over his shoulder to the bank of elevators along the far wall.

  
“Lift number twelve will get’cha where you need to go, kid. Take a breath. You’re safe here.”

  
Johnny took the keycard and nodded his thanks to the guard, the hard line of his jaw relaxing the tiniest bit. He hurried over to the elevator and turned to check the lobby after pressing the call button. It was still clear, so he stepped inside.

  
‘Mr. Storm, are you feeling well?’ a concerned voice asked and Johnny yelped.  
Relieved there was no one in the lift with him to witness the sound, the blond looked up to the speaker in the ceiling, narrowing his eyes.

  
“Who’s there?” he asked, his skin flushing and temperature rising. Ever since his mom’s “accident” his anxiety was through the roof.

  
‘My apologies for the unexpected… surprise. I am Jarvis, Mr. Stark’s AI and I run the building. My concern is that I am detecting a significant rise in your core body temperature. Do you need assistance?’

  
“No. I’m uh- I’m okay. Thanks Jarvis.”

  
‘Of course. Well then, if you will please exit to the right, you will arrive at your destination,’ Jarvis intoned pleasantly.

  
Johnny exited as instructed and knocked on the door down the hall on the right. “Coming!” he heard Maggie yell from inside the apartment. He was greeted by her bright smile that immediately fell into a look of concern when she saw his red and swollen eyes. She immediately reached out and pulled him into a hug.

  
“Im so glad you're here” she sighed, rubbing his back as she kept her arms wrapped around his torso. “What happened?”

  
He didn't answer, just held onto her like a lifeline. He wrapped his arms securely around her much smaller frame and closed his eyes, gently resting his chin on the top of her head.

  
Peter walked over when he noticed the pair hugging quietly for longer than usual. He frowned when his brain helpfully supplied the observation that Maggie and Johnny fit together like two pieces carved from the same stone.

  
It’s not that he was jealous or anything... Well okay, so maybe he didn’t really like it. At all. But that was to be expected, right?

  
Johnny opened his eyes saw the look on Peter’s face. He flushed and quickly pulled back out of Maggie's embrace. After he wiped his eyes again with his left hand and stuck his right one out to Peter.

  
“Parker,” he greeted with a nod, his voice thick like he'd been crying.

  
Peter quirked a brow at Johnny, curious about what happened to set the teen so on edge emotionally. He took Johnny’s hand and pulled the guy into a hug of his own.

  
“Hey, you okay Storm?” he asked quietly, truly concerned now and feeling like a total ass.

  
Johnny’s stomach answered for him, letting out a loud growl at the scent of home cooking in the apartment. He ducked his head and covered his stomach with his hand.

  
“Come on, let's eat. Pop made my Grandma Sarah’s famous Irish corned beef and cabbage with potatoes.”

  
Maggie lead the big blond past the foyer and into the open living and dining area. Johnny shrugged off his backpack and layers and laid them carefully over a chair in the living room before looking into the kitchen and smiling sheepishly in the direction of the two super soldiers.

  
Bucky had just sliced the fresh sourdough bread when he looked up and saw…

“Stevie?”

  
“Yeah Buck?” Steve called over his shoulder from the plate of food he’d just dished out.

When there was no answer, he also turned and stopped, his eyes widening in disbelief. A young mirror stared back at him.

  
Bucky silently walked around the kitchen island and peered closer. The kid looked identical to a healthy version of the little punk he fell in love with when they were just kids. Johnny’s eyes widened in panic and he backed away, quickly holding his palms out in defense and bumping into Peter behind him.

  
“Pop! The knife, huh?” Maggie gasped and took the bread knife from Bucky’s hand.

  
Bucky blinked. “Shit! Sorry.” He wiped his hands on the back pockets of his jeans and stuck out his hand to Johnny. “James Barnes. You’re Johnny, right?”

  
“Yes, sir,” Johnny answered quietly once he caught his breath, taking Bucky's proffered hand. He looked carefully at the other tall blond who’d joined the group, his head cocked in fascination at their similarities.

  
Seeing the two of them face to face, it was a little overwhelming. Maggie was literally looking at a teenage version of her Da, just with shorter hair and leaner muscle. Johnny was jacked, but he didn’t quite have the iconic Captain America physique. Nobody did, except Steve.

  
“Johnny, I’ve heard a lot about you,” Steve said with a smile, the same one he offered the press when he was in front of cameras.

  
Johnny shook Steve’s hand and responded with a smile of his own. The same one he gave Maggie during their dance when she saw through it and just knew he was nervous. Maggie, Peter and Bucky all stared at the two blonds, trying to figure out… how?

  
“Hope I’m not too late for dinner!” Natasha called as she breezed in, shaking her coat and scarf off. she stopped short. “Svyatoy der'mo!”

  
“Ya tochno znayu?” Bucky nodded, eyes flicking to the red head. Natasha quickly schooled her expression back into one of stoic indifference.

  
“Hello Johnny, I’m Natasha. Maggie’s godmother,” she explained.

  
“Uh, hi. It’s nice to meet you?” Johnny replied nervously.

  
Peter felt Maggie grab for his hand. Full disclosure, it did make him puff his chest out the tiniest bit. 

  
“Can I help you with anything, Mr. Rogers?” he asked, nodding back to the plates on the counter.

  
Steve blinked quickly, refocusing on Peter and then the others. “No, I’ve got it. Thanks, Peter. You guys go ahead and get settled.”

 

“This was really good, Mr. Barnes. It was your mom’s recipe?” Johnny gushed around his last bite of meat and bread. Not the best manners, and his sister would probably punch his arm for talking with his mouth full, but it was delicious- so sue him.

  
“Thanks, kid,” Bucky nodded. “It's was Sarah's recipe. She tried teachin’ Stevie to cook but gave up after the second time he set a fire in the kitchen,” he teased and winked at Steve.

  
“Buck…” Steve blushed. “He's right though, can't cook to save my life,” he admitted. “Never could. That's why Ma taught Buck when we were still kids.”

  
Maggie listened to the easy exchanges between Johnny and her parents. She met Natasha's eyes and she seemed on the same wavelength. Propriety be damned, but she was still concerned and wanted to help with whatever it was Johnny was going through.

  
“Tell us about yourself, Johnny. Maggie says you were crowned together at Homecoming?”

  
Natasha's question wasn't what Maggie expected her to start with, but she still had a lot to learn from the queen of interrogation, so there was that.

  
Johnny took a drink of water and answered, “I was surprised when it happened, really. Never had a frosh win for king before.”

  
“Yeah, well never had a frosh play varsity ball before, either,” Peter added, then laughed. “Have to admit though, the look on Flash’s face when you won was priceless.”

  
“Uh, he's such a jackass,” Maggie grumbled.

  
“Right?” Johnny agreed with a smirk then quickly became quiet. What he wouldn't give to go back to when asshole upperclassmen were the only thing he dealt with.

  
Steve noticed the shift in the atmosphere at the table. Before they got into the deeper conversations, he wanted to make sure the kid had eaten enough. Given the backpack and fearful look in his eyes, Steve guessed he'd been on the run.

  
“Can I get you any more?” he asked nodding to Johnny's empty plate.

  
“Thank you, no. This was great.”

 

“Where have you been all week?” Maggie asked after she cleared the table and they'd settled in the living room. It wasn't exactly a great segue, but whatever. She was still worried.

  
Johnny looked down and his brow furrowed. He wasn't sure how to explain, but he did ask for help, after all.

  
“Been laying low. My mom was in a really bad accident,” his voice cracked at the end and he cleared his throat. “She told me a couple of weeks ago to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. I thought she was being paranoid because I recently told her about, you know… homecoming and all.”

  
Maggie nodded, encouraging him to continue.

  
“Anyway, she said if anything happened to her, to run. Not to come back. She made me promise.” He shook his head, his eyes filling with tears. “I couldn't do it though- stay gone. She's my mom, you know? They said she was in a freak accident, but I don't think it was. An accident, I mean.

  
“When I went and saw her…” his voice broke and he cleared his throat again. “She was burned. And she was in so much pain. She was so mad I was there and I didn't understand. But then she finally said why. I tried to go back again tonight but… she's gone.”

  
He shook his head and the tears finally broke free. Maggie immediately went to Johnny, hugging him into her abdomen as he turned and buried his face. He wrapped his arms around her waist nd sobbed against her as she gently rubbed the back of his shoulders.

  
Maggie looked helplessly through tears of her own to Natasha. The redhead nodded solemnly and Maggie swallowed hard. She comforted Johnny patiently until he calmed.

  
“I'm so sorry. Your sister?” she asked softly.

  
He shook his head again. “Can't find her.”

  
“You're in the right place. Natalia can find her,” Bucky reassured. “Is there anyone else? Do you have any other family?”

  
“That's why I'm here. Mom said when Susie was little, she got sick and had to go into a psych hospital. She had really bad depression, so they placed Susie temporarily, just ‘till mom got better.

  
“While she was there, she said some scientists experimented on her. When she told the doctors, nobody believed her. She said there were a few other women who went through the same thing, and one told her they had your DNA . That they were trying to… clone you,” he finished, looking directly at Steve.

  
“To… clone me?” Steve asked incredulously and Johnny nodded.

  
“At first Mom didn't believe that part, but after she was released and got Susie back, she found out she was pregnant. She ran with Susie and seven months later I was born.”

  
Steve's jaw dropped and the color ran from his face. When Maggie was a baby, SHIELD took down a ring of AIM scientists that were accused of that very thing. None of the attempts had been successful, or so they thought.

  
Bucky grabbed Steve's hand with his own and Steve blinked, looking closer at Johnny.

  
“They did it, didn't they?” Steve breathed and his eyes widened.

  
“I think so, and that's why mom wanted me to run. There were men following me from the hospital this morning but I… took care of them,” Johnny looked down at his hands and shook his head. “But- if I'm you, what does that make me? How does that even work?”

  
“Jarvis, get Uncle Tony and Uncle Bruce to the lab,” Maggie ordered to the ceiling.

  
‘Of course, Miss. They are already present. I have alerted them of your situation.’

  
“She's right, Stevie. We need to confirm this,” Bucky stood and gestured upward to the lab levels two floors above them.

  
“I'll get started finding your sister,” Natasha nodded and squeezed Johnny's shoulder as she left.

  
“Well work it out, okay?” Maggie reassured him as she took his hand and led him in the direction of Tony and Bruce.

  
  
“It's really not that difficult.”

  
Steve huffed a sigh of annoyance and shoved his hands onto his hips. “For those of us who aren't geniuses, Tony. How does something like this happen?”

  
Johnny looked relieved that Steve asked, because with everything else he was dealing with, he really just wanted to understand something.

  
Tony took a deep breath and sat on a stool like he was teaching a remedial class at not-MIT. “Okay, so in reproductive cloning, you remove a mature somatic cell- say, a skin cell- from whatever garden variety super soldier you want to copy. Then you cut out and transfer that DNA into an egg that has had its own DNA-containing nucleus removed. Once it grows into an embryo, you implant it into a ready womb, and viola.”

  
“That's it?” Johnny asked. “If it's that easy, why aren't there entire armies of me? I mean, of him,” he nodded to Steve.

  
“Well, it doesn't work out that well, usually. You have to shock the cell in order to fuse the DNA to the donor ovum. Then there's the tricky little traumatic part of implanting the embryo into a womb. And that's all assuming that host doesn't destroy it by going into rejection,” Tony explained.

  
Bruce jumped in then. “It would still be a 50/50 chance of the subject- I'm sorry- of you inheriting Steve’s original poor health. There would be no guarantee of this,” he finished, waving his hand up and down in Johnny’s direction. “You never know what the electric shock of the procedure combined with the serum enhanced cell could create.”

  
Johnny breathed out a hollow laugh and said dryly, “So you mean it might make me catch fire and fly around the room?”

  
“Something like that.”

  
Bruce went back to the machine running results on Johnny and Steve's DNA, missing the look on everyone's face. Tony didn’t.

  
“Wait! Are you saying?” Tony's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Peanut! Why didn't you just say so?” Tony practically bounced in excitement.

  
Maggie shook her head at Tony’s reaction. “You'll have to excuse Uncle Tony. He means well, I promise.”

  
Bruce turned back to the group. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before looking up and nodding affirmatively to Steve. Johnny’s eyes went wide and he fell back against the stainless steel counter. Maggie reached out and wrapped her arms around his lean waist, steadying him.

  
“Breathe, Storm. You got this, yeah? You're okay,” Peter reassured him, standing in front of him and holding his shoulders until he could focus.

  
Johnny nodded numbly. “So, I'm him?” he asked quietly, looking to Steve.

  
“No, Johnny. You're you, same as you've always been,” Maggie corrected. “You're funny and smart and confident and a good person. You're still you, okay?”

  
“Well, there's no legal precedent on this one, but in a court of law, I'm pretty sure you're biologically considered Steve's kid,” Tony supplied and Bruce nodded in agreement.

  
“My kid…” Steve repeated and looked to Bucky, eyes wide.

  
Bucky stepped forward and pulled Johnny into a hug. “Our kid,” he said, welcoming Johnny into the family.

 

 

 **Russian**  
Svyatoy der'mo = Holy shit!  
Ya tochno znayu? = I know, right?


	28. Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Johnny are not seeing eye to eye. Bucky knows the kid will be fine. He's sure of it and not in the least bit surprised because Steve's always been a prickly little shit. Why then, would not-Steve, aka Johnny be any different? Some things are just in the DNA.
> 
> Thor also weighs in on the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Referenced dom/sub sexual activity

**Tension**

Johnny immediately moved into the spare room with his new family. He settled in across the hall from Maggie and Peter finally stopped feeling like a jealous asshole. Most of the time.

Things were stable, but there was a layer of tension just under the surface. As much as Steve tried to figure out the new dynamic with himself and _not-himself,_ he felt like he and Johnny were just a little bit prickly around each other.

It totally didn’t help Steve when Thor tried to explain the reason they were bumping heads (it’s _butting_ heads, Thor, but _whatever_ ) was because they were too similar. And if that wasn’t the understatement of the mother-fucking universe. Sometimes Steve thought listening to Thor try to explain Midgardian behavior was worse than listening to Clint pontificate on the meaning of life after smoking too much pot. Bucky, of course, was all too amused in both situations.

Still, Steve was trying. After everything the new century had sprung on the super soldier, having his own mini-me was hands down the most challenging. And _yes,_ he _knew_ Johnny wasn’t _him._ He also knew the kid was having just as hard of a time figuring it out, if not worse because of having just lost his mom.

 

“You okay Stevie?” Bucky mumbled late one night as Steve sat in bed drawing by the low light on the bedside table.

He was lulled to sleep by the rhythmic scratching of graphite against paper, only to be awakened by Steve’s pissyness. Each time, it began again as a soothing, rhythmic scratching of pencil, then a huff of frustration from Steve, followed by the bed shaking as Steve rubbed the ArtGum eraser across the page, and finally ended with him tearing and crumpling the paper and launching it across the room.

Bucky tried to be understanding. After more than a century with Steve, he _knew_ how artists were, okay? But this was just bullshit. He even asked if Steve was okay, but _no._ The punk was too wrapped up in whatever it was that was pissing him off the respond.

 _“Stevie,”_ Bucky _groaned_ as a fifth piece of paper met its unfortunate death. Bucky peeked out of one eyeball at the illuminated clock on the side table. 3:12 am. The time for pet names was over if this was how the rest of the night was going to go. Just because Bucky _had, in fact_ slept through worse, didn’t mean he wanted to make a habit of it.

“Steve.”

No answer.

More scratching. Bucky could handle that. He liked that sound.

His eyes began to close but popped right back fucking open when he heard the huff and felt the familiar wiggle of the bed that signaled one of two things. _A._ Steve was jerking Bucky off. _B._ Steve was erasing something. AGAIN. And since Bucky was fairly sure Steve’s hand was nowhere near his dick at the moment, that left only Option _B._

_B._

As in Bucky was going to lose his shit.

Still, since he was a nice fucking person, he figured he should at least warn a guy before hand, so he quickly turned over in bed, sat up and glared death rays at his husband.

“Goddammit! Steven Grant, if you tear one more fuckin’ piece a’paper I’mma lose my shit!”

Steve jumped, complete with innocent shock on his face and a big stupid hand clutching his proverbial pearls. Like he really hadn’t heard any of the other three things Bucky said. Like Bucky just lead off with the craziness, all unexpected and unnecessary-like.

 _“Jesus,_ Buck! What the fuck, huh?” Steve snapped.

“Really? You seriously didn’t hear _anything_ I said?” Bucky demanded, throwing the covers off his legs and standing next to the bed.

“I’m so _fucking sorry._ Am I bothering you by sitting here silently, minding my own _fucking business?”_ Steve growled sarcastically and stood as well. “I’ll take my shit somewhere else, so I won’t _fucking bother_ you.”

Oh.

_Oh._

It all made sense. Steve needed to get fucked. The only time he ever talked to Bucky that way was when he needed a real good dicking and was too wrapped up inside his brain to ask for it on his own.

By way of pavlovian response, Bucky’s heart softened and his dick hardened. He stalked over to Steve’s side of the bed and cupped his big, stupid-pretty jaw and kissed him tenderly. Steve kissed back but after a few moments pushed Bucky away.

His brow furrowed and he crossed his arms across his chest, not meeting Bucky’s eyes. Bucky smirked and moved back into Steve’s space, pressing him up against the bedroom wall and grinding their pelvises against each other.

“What’s your color, Stevie?” Bucky asked as he kissed the angle of Steve’s jaw. When he tugged at his earlobe with his teeth, he heard the sharp intake of breath that meant Steve wanted more. His body continued to answer for him when his back arched and he pressed his own erection forward, but he remained silent.

Bucky backed up and turned Steve’s face toward his own. “C’mon baby, talk to me.”

Steve still refused to meet his eyes, so he let go and sighed, thinking he must have read this one wrong. He turned to leave the room so Steve could have his space, and stopped halfway to the door. He turned his head and spoke over his shoulder.

“I’m here for you, baby. Always will be, ‘til the end of the line.”

“Buck?”

“Yeah, Stevie,” Bucky turned back to his husband, the broken sound in his voice weighing heavy on his heart.

“I just- m’sorry. I really am. I didn’t mean for this to happen, and I don’t know if it’s something I’ll be able to fix. He doesn’t even like me.”

Bucky crossed the room back to Steve and held him in his arms. Steve went willingly and buried his face in the crook of his neck. When he felt the tears dripping onto his skin, and heard the shudder of breath rack Steve’s lungs, he walked him back to the bed and crawled in next to him, pulling the blond against his chest.

“It’s gonna be okay, baby,” Bucky soothed, running his hand through Steve’s hair and kissing the top of his head. “Maybe it’s not something we need to fix?”

Steve sighed against Bucky’s chest and stilled for a moment. Bucky knew that meant something else was coming. Something he wasn’t going to like. He knew it like he knew the hair on Maggie’s head was his own.

Steve traced circles into the skin of Bucky’s chest. He sighed again.

“Don’t be mad at me Buck, ‘kay?”

Bucky ran his metal hand down his face and sighed. He scratched at his stubble. “Baby I already know I’m not gonna like it, so just spit it out.”

“Two things… I’m gonna go with Nat tomorrow. She got a lead on Johnny’s sister and I need to do something for him,” Steve spoke quietly into the skin of Bucky’s chest and wrapped his arm around his waist.

“Okay.”

Steve looked up into Bucky’s eyes, at last. A relieved smile softened the line between his brows and he let out a relieved breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“And?” Bucky asked, waiting for the other shoe to fall, as it were.

“That’s it. I thought you were going to be upset because I decided with Nat to go before we talked about it.” Steve shrugged innocently.

“Steve,” Bucky prodded teasingly. “You said two things. Unless I’m losing the ability of computation, that’s only one.”

“Oh,” Steve blushed and buried his head into the crook of Bucky’s neck. He pressed a soft kiss against the skin there and whispered his answer. _“Green.”_


	29. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things you miss most...

**Missing**

Much to everyone’s relief, and only to Bucky and Steve’s knowledge of methodology, Bucky managed to completely and utterly remove Steven Grant Rogers from deep inside his own head. 

The urgency with which the team wanted to find Susie was taking its toll on everyone and it had been a long couple of days getting Johnny settled and back to class. 

It definitely paid to have friends in high places when it came to getting legal custody of Johnny practically overnight. Between Tony’s money, Steve’s name and Pepper’s excellent connections, finding a legal circuit to approve and seal the necessary documents was a breeze. The next morning at breakfast, the kids (which was still weird that it was plural after it being just Maggie for sixteen years) ate fruit and pancakes, the food slowly bringing the teenage zombified creatures to life. 

“You’ll meet with the agents on campus this morning, okay kiddo?” Steve offered Johnny hopefully, leaning on the counter across from the island where he and Maggie sat.

Steve sipped his coffee and waited, eager for a response. He was really trying to reach out to Johnny but honestly just felt awkward and lost. Johnny merely nodded, keeping his eyes down on his food. 

“I can go with you if you like…”

Johnny finally looked up at Steve, albeit briefly and shook his head. 

The last thing he wanted was to walk into school with Doppelgänger Dad. It was bad enough there were rumors to deal with over his absence and his mom, and also now this new family he’d walked into. He was thankful, sure; Maggie was a great person to have as a new sister of sorts, but thinking of her like that just amplified his fear of never seeing Susie again. 

He cleared his throat. “No, thank you. I'll be fine.” 

_ God, _ he missed his mom. 

He missed the little things she did every morning, like humming quietly as she applied her makeup at the kitchen table. She always said that's where the best light was. Or the little mumbling sounds she would make whenever she couldn't find her keys. More times than not they seemed to be lost in the bottom of her handbag, and each time it happened she vowed to clean it out. He would tease her about saying the same thing last time.

What he missed most was the way she would gently pat his cheek and smile up at him before hugging him and whispering, “Love you, my baby boy,” each morning before he left for school, even though he would grumble and insist he wasn't a baby. She would simply smile and repeat what she told him hundreds of times throughout his life.

_ You'll always be my baby. _

He missed her hugs the most. His heart ached with the realization that he would never get to feel one again, never feel that soft little hand pat his cheek, never again hear her call him her baby. 

He swallowed his last bite of breakfast over the lump forming in his throat and placed his plate in the sink, hastening his retreat, not wanting to cry again in front of everyone. He hated how much he cried lately. He hated making Steve feel bad, too, especially after everything he and Bucky had done for him. Opening up their home, their family, their whole life- with no reservations all to a kid like him with so much baggage. 

A kid nobody asked for, not even his own mother. He wasn’t her choice. He wasn’t Steve’s choice, either. He was the result of someone abusing an innocent, good woman, of someone literally hijacking someone’s DNA. For what, profit? For creating a new line of assassins? He had no idea why, he just knew innocent people got hurt and he was the result.


	30. On a Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Principal Morita weighs in on Johnny's situation.

**On a Mission**

Steve watched in silence as Johnny made a beeline for his room. He didn't want to push, though he could swear there were tears in Johnny's eyes. He sighed quietly and poured the rest of his coffee down the sink, and smiled sadly at Maggie before retreating to pack his things. He'd be leaving to meet Natasha just outside London as soon as he and Bucky dropped the kids off.

Halfway to school, Steve announced his plans, “I’m going with Aunty Nat today, so I’ll be gone awhile, okay guys?”

Maggie looked abruptly up from her phone. She met Steve’s eyes in the rear-view mirror with a question, her brow furrowed with concern. Usually when her parents were leaving for something non-mission related, she got a little more of a heads up. 

“How long, Da?”

“Not sure, Sweetheart, but Pop will be home with you guys. I’ll keep you posted, okay?” 

Steve smiled as reassuringly as he could at Maggie then shot a worried glance to Johnny, who was sitting quietly staring out the window. He recognized the lost look in the kid’s eyes. It reminded him of how he felt when he woke up in this century and realized almost everyone he knew and loved was gone. It made the drive to find the kid’s sister even more immediate.

 

Once at school, Johnny made his way directly to Principal Morita’s office. A few people tried stopping him in the hall to talk, but luckily he avoided any actual conversations. Turns out when you're six feet tall and you walk like you’re a man on a mission (and let's be real, the scowl on his face didn't hurt either), people don't like to stop you too much.

“Johnny, please come in,” Mr. Morita smiled kindly.

He lead them into his office where two other faculty waited. Johnny briefly wondered why the custodian and librarian were there, but then it dawned on him. 

He still had a lot to learn about SHIELD, the Avengers, and his new reality. After a brief introduction and instructions, the Agents left and Mr. Morita moved to sit against the front of his desk.

“Listen, Johnny. I'm not going to patronize you with the ‘I know this is hard for you’ speech. I only know the relevant pieces of your circumstances. 

“I know you've lost your mom, and my heart goes out to you for that. I know where you're living now, and who your guardians are. The truth is, I can't even begin to know what you're going through inside.” 

He paused and reached for a framed black and white photo on top of a cabinet. He smiled down at it, and handed it to Johnny.

“That's my grandfather there, on the far left. He served with the Commandos, storming bases all over Europe. He trusted both Barnes and Rogers with his life, and died thinking they lost both of them in the war.” 

Mr. Morita placed the frame carefully back on the cabinet and turned back to Johnny. He leaned back against his desk and blew out a breath.

“I guess what I'm trying to say is you're in good hands with the new family. They're not perfect, but they set the bar pretty damn high- and that can be intimidating.” He nodded encouragingly at Johnny. “Remember I'm here if you ever need to talk.”


	31. Got it all Planned Out

**Got it all Planned Out**

Just before Bio, Maggie’s phone buzzed in her pocket with a text from Bucky.

 

Pop: Thinking of taking Johnny to the compound for a change of scenery

Maggie: I have decathlon prep this weekend but I’ll be fine at home

Pop: U sure?

Maggie: Yup

Maggie: You guys go. Johnny needs it.

Pop: Positive?

Maggie: Positive <3 u Pop

Pop: Love you too Squirt

Pop: I ever tell you how proud of you I am?

Maggie: All the time :) Are Da and Aunty Nat looking for Susie?

Pop: Yup finally got a lead.

Maggie: Thank God

 

Maggie slid her phone back in her pocket as Peter joined her at their lab table. She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek as he bent down to hug her just before attendance began.

“How is everything?” he whispered so as not to interrupt the teacher.

Maggie shrugged. She felt the strain on her family and on Johnny too. She was more and more intune with others’ emotions lately. Maybe it was an after effect of the two serums, Erskine’s and the Hydra knock off in her DNA. Or, maybe it was being raised around Natasha and Wanda.

“Present,” she answered when her name was called. 

She shot a little smile at Peter after an idea crossed her mind, and he raised a curious brow in response. Since she was hosting decathlon practice that weekend, maybe she and Peter could actually have some time alone to just relax after it finished. Things were so crazy lately, there was always someone else around. 

 

“Thanks for comin’ early,” Maggie sighed as she and MJ plopped down onto the sofa.

The refreshments were out and everything was ready for practice. Maggie hadn’t hosted any of the practice days yet, and it was customary for the host family to provide food and drink for everyone.

“You know it. How are you holding up with everything?”

Maggie leaned against her best friend and blew out a deep breath. “Okay, I just feel so bad for Johnny. It’s been rough, and he’s really trying to adjust, but there’s like, this invisible wall between him and Da. Like they're identical poles of a magnet, orbiting around each other but being pushed apart. Like they can't quite seem to come to terms with everything? I dunno.”

“That why they left?” MJ asked, leaning back into Maggie.

Maggie shook her head. “Nah, Da had to go meet Aunty Nat yesterday. I think they’re in London.” She popped a handful of blueberries into her mouth and spoke around them anyway. “Pop just wanted to give Johnny somethin’ to do for the weekend. Take his mind off everything. They’re staying up at the compound tonight.”

_ “The first of your guests has arrived, Miss,” _ Jarvis intoned through the speaker in the ceiling.

“Thanks, J. Is it Peter and Ned?” Maggie asked excitedly after swallowing her fruit.

_ “I’m afraid not, a Mr. Thompson and Miss Moon are here.” _

Maggie and MJ both made a face at each other, then broke out in a fit of giggles. They knew each other so well.

“My name’s Flash, and my shit don’t stink,” MJ announced in her most arrogant dude-voice.

“Oh, Flash, you’re so wonderful! And I’m so hot!” Maggie answered in her best impression of Cindy.

God, those two could be insufferable. 

That’s probably what Maggie was most stressed about- besides the obvious serious stuff- having those two in her home. The elevator dinged outside in the hallway from the LOFT and the girls snorted back the last of their laughter.

“Welcome, please come in guys,” Maggie greeted from the doorway. 

She put on a smile and behaved from that point forward, because she was raised with manners, damnit. She would play nice even if the couple made her uncomfortable. Luckily, Peter and Ned weren’t too far behind. 

“So, where’s this famous uncle I keep hearing about?” Flash questioned loudly once the room was full and people were settling in.

Maggie slid her phone from her pocket and looked at the time. It was already ten after and Tony still hadn’t made it.

“Don’t wait for him to start,” she whispered to MJ. 

“Hey J, is Uncle Tony in his lab?” Maggie asked the ceiling and the group watched in interest.

_ “Sir sends his apologies, and will be on his way momentarily.” _

“Thanks, J,” Maggie called above her. 

Peter smiled. “Probably got caught up on that last project.” 

He winked at Maggie and she grinned. They were busy a lot lately with her new suit, similar to that of IronMan but smaller, much lighter and more agile. 

Luckily, as Captain, MJ called the shots, not Flash. That was good because whenever he started off the practice group being an ass (which was often), she would always make sure to give him the most remedial of questions just so he wouldn’t be able to show off. It usually settled him down.

Not five minutes later, Tony waltzed in through the door in proper Stark fashion.

“Sorry Peanut. Uncle Bruce and I made another breakthrough!” he announced, deliberately omitting the specifics to keep the room on its toes.

The room fell into a reverent silence and Maggie smirked, knowing that  _ finally _ Flash would quit telling everyone that Peter made up knowing him just to impress people. While she was sure he’d find something else to use as a vehicle of displaying his enormous amount of stupidity, it would be nice for that particular line of harassment to be put to rest.

And also, because Tony  _ was _ Maggie’s favorite uncle and also knew the happenings in her life, he made a specific point to establish the fact that Peter had known him for a quite a while.

“Hey Parker, why didn’t you have me coach for the decathlon last year?” he asked, clapping Peter on the back and squeezing his shoulders in a friendly greeting. Tony looked to MJ and winked. “I’m at your disposal, Cap.”

Just then, Flash decided to show his ass. “You were working with Dr. Banner just now? Could he coach us too?”

Tony snorted. “Bruce in a room full of know it all teenagers? That might be a bigger mess than you’re prepared to live-stream, sport,” Tony answered in his most polite yet uber-condescending tone. He raised a ‘don’t test me, kid’ eyebrow at Flash, and that was the last smart-ass thing out of the bully’s mouth or the day.

To say that practice went well would be an understatement. Physics review, of course, was stellar. With Tony’s help the team learned multiple new mnemonics to help them with the more advanced theories in the field. 

 

“Thanks for coming, guys. See you on Monday!” Maggie waved as the last of the students piled into the elevator to leave.

“You good Peanut?” Tony asked, and Maggie could tell he was itching to get back to whatever it was he was working on before practice.

Maggie nodded and smiled toward Peter before meeting her uncle’s eyes. Sure, she was being a little shit. She had the afternoon planned and was looking forward to some alone time with Peter, and she knew exactly how to get rid of Tony.

“We were gonna get coffee and then watch some trash TV on Hulu. Wanna join us?”

Tony scrunched up his nose and made a face. There were few things he hated more than Maggie’s fascination with ‘reality’ TV. It was anything but real and anything but entertaining.

“While I’d _love_ to know what happens next on Kitchen Nightmares- Jersey Mom Edition or whatever awful show it is you’re watching this time, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll rejoin Bruce upstairs,” Tony smirked, nodding up towards his labs.

“Aw, you’re no fun!” Maggie teased. She wrapped her arms around her uncle and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for today, Uncle Tony.”

“No problem, Peanut.” He made brief eye contact with Peter and called across the room. “Remember, don’t do anything I would do, or anything I wouldn’t do, Parker.”

“Got it,” Peter laughed easily. “The little grey area, right Mr. Stark?” 

 

Once the elevator doors slid shut, and they were alone, Maggie sidled on up to Peter and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him down into a soft kiss and his hands cupped her face gently. 

She deepened the kiss and he moaned into her mouth. The effect she had on him was almost hypnotic. Anything she asked, anything she wanted, he’d do- just to keep her eyes bright and happy and smiling at him.

_ God,  _ he loved her so much.


	32. The Compound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Johnny take a road trip, and bond.

**The Compound**

“This is all for the Avengers?” Johnny asked Bucky as they drove up the winding road from the main entrance at the highway to the Compound buildings.

“Yup,” Bucky chuckled at Johnny’s excitement. “Well, that and SHIELD. We’ve got a lot of field testing that happens here, and whenever there’s something we need to train for, we come on up.” 

Bucky pulled the Jeep around the back to the hidden subterranean parking entrance. Johnny leaned against his window, staring out at the grounds with the wonder of a child in his eyes. Though he and Steve were so similar, there were some ways- like this- that they couldn’t be more opposite. Truth be told, Bucky was happy to find out that Johnny was as big of a science nerd as he was. He half expected the kid to roll his eyes and be unimpressed, but this was a nice surprise.

They entered the elevator and were greeted by Jarvis. Johnny’s eyes shot to Bucky in surprise and Bucky laughed again.

“Yes, he’s everywhere, kid.”

“That’s not weird or anything?” Johnny asked with a smirk.

Bucky shrugged. “You get used to it, I guess.”

They walked by Tony’s labs and Johnny peered through the glass walls at the myriad of projects. Pieces of suits littered the one corner work area and a damaged Falcon jetpack hung in the center of the area.

Johnny continued to stare quietly, not meeting Bucky’s eyes. “What should I call you?” he asked quietly.

Bucky looked at the kid out of the corner of his eye. The same serious frown had taken over the kid’s features. He looked so much like a young Steve when he frowned. Like the weight of the world rested on him and him alone. Bucky imagined that’s exactly how the kid felt, too.

“What do you wanna call me?” he asked, still facing forward so the kid didn’t feel awkward. He saw Johnny shrug and shove his hands in his pockets.

“You called me your kid the other night. And I remember Maggie sayin’ you taught her to call you Pop before she could even talk.” He shrugged again. “Seems odd calling you  _ Mr. Barnes.” _

Bucky did his best to hide the smile that threatened to split his face in half. “Pop work for you?”

Johnny looked down and blushed, nodding. “Yeah. Pop.”

Bucky finally let his smile free and pulled Johnny into a quick hug. He let go, patting his cheek lightly with his metal hand. “You’re a good kid, Johnny. My kid.”

Johnny’s stomach answered for him and both men laughed. “This place got a cafeteria or something?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry so short, but I really felt like this one speaks for itself.  
> Short but sweet.


	33. Leicester Square

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finally thinks he's gonna get something right by Johnny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse the formatting, this always happens on my iPad. Enjoy the story!

**Leicester Square**

  
After arriving in London, Steve met Natasha in the lobby of Victory House. She greeted him with a disapproving glance.

  
“You haven’t spent much time undercover across the pond, have you?” the now blonde spy smirked.

  
“Why?”

  
She shook her head, a fond grin on her face. His vintage Brooklyn Dodgers hat did little to provide a disguise in London.

  
“Always a cowboy… that’s Captain America,” she sighed, teasing smoothly. “Ball caps are a dead giveaway you’re from the States, Steve.”

  
She threaded her arm through his and they headed on foot through the square to the Hampshire. It was early in the evening and the businesses on Irving Street were transitioning from their laid back afternoon teas to the vibrant nightlife the area was becoming known for.

  
“How’s the kid doing?” Natasha asked when she noticed Steve was quieter than usual. After all their years as family, she knew his tells.

  
“I wouldn't know, he doesn't talk to me,” Steve grumbled.

  
And okay, he was pouting, but so what? It seemed like Johnny would talk to everyone but him. He had been friends with Maggie for months and he was responsive to Bucky. Johnny even seemed to want Peter to like him. But Steve? Who the fuck was Steve, anyway?

  
“Mmm?” Natasha asked nonverbally. “Maybe I should have asked how _you're_ doing.”

  
Steve shoved the question down deep. They didn’t have time to talk about him. It wasn’t _about_ him. Right now they just needed to get Susie home safe, and Steve arrived just in time for he and Natasha to act on her latest tip.

  
Natasha nodded toward a side alley that ran alongside the Hampshire. “Down here.”

  
There was another building that looked unoccupied directly behind it and they disappeared through an unmarked door into an alcove leading to some basement stairs. The hallways were made of old brick and had a dank, musty smell like the building hadn’t been open and operational in a very long time. Nothing like hiding in plain sight.

  
Sounds of dripping water echoed from the darkness surrounding them and blueish light spilled out from under a shut door. Sounds of a television turned to a station broadcasting in Slavic filtered out with the light.

  
Natasha stopped short, stilling as she listened then whispered to Steve, “Bosnian.”

  
Wait- Bosnian? That made no sense. There was little to no Hydra presence there. He supposed hired thugs didn’t much care _who_ they were working for as long as they were being paid.  
_“Hej! Ata radiš?”_ a man’s gruff voice yelled. Then the same voice spat, _“Kučko!”_ before the distinct sound of a heavy hand cracked against flesh, followed immediately by a muffled feminine voice cry out.

  
Steve tensed at the sound, immediately ready to tear apart whoever caused it. He didn’t speak Bosnian, however he recognized the universal tone of a shit-sucking bottom-dweller.

  
Natasha pulled a gun out of god-knows-where and nodded. Steve signalled the count of three and kicked open the door, splintering wood in every direction of the small room.

  
A stocky, sweaty man turned and fired off two shots at Natasha, who easily dodged the bullets and flipped to the right, covering the small woman tied up in the corner. She fired one shot and hit the man directly in the hand and his gun clattered to the floor. Steve barged through the chaos stalking directly toward the man and leveled him with a solitary but massively destructive fist to his greasy face.

  
Steve turned toward where Natasha kept her gun trained on the ball of flesh on the floor five feet in front of her. The small woman behind Natasha curled into a ball and whimpered out a plea, holding her hands defensively against her head. He sighed, trying to calm and eliminate the wild look of anger on his face before he called out to her in a reassuring tone, though still breathing heavy from his anger.

  
“Susie? It’s okay, you’re safe now. We’re not gonna hurt you.”

  
The small brunette looked up at him, then to Natasha through tear-stained eyes. The dirty cloth gagging her mouth cut into her gaunt cheeks and she couldn’t speak properly.

  
“Let’s get that nasty thing off of you, huh?” Natasha offered, her voice low and soothing.  
Susie’s eyes darted between them again before she hesitantly shook her head. Natasha pulled a knife out of her back pocket and Susie’s eyes widened in fear as she tried to scoot further into the corner she was pressed into.

  
“Nat...” Steve spoke, not wanting to traumatize the poor girl more than she already was.

  
Natasha slowly backed away, holding the blade up and in full view for Susie to see. She recognized the look of terror in the girl’s eyes. She’s likely been threatened with a blade while being held.

  
“It’s okay… no blades,” she reassured. “Steve?”

  
He carefully approached Susie and murmured, “I’m just gonna get this thing off you, okay?”

  
When he came close enough for Susie to see him well in the dark room, her eyes widened, not in fear, but in obvious recognition. She shook her head yes, and Steve reached to the gag, tugging it apart with his bare hands. Super strength was good for a lot of things. When he took the gag off Susie, he reached for her hands and did the same thing with the fabric that bound her wrists.

  
“You- you’re Captain America?” she asked, her voice scratchy and rough from dehydration. The poor girl’s eyes were sunken in and puffy at the same time. Whoever had been holding her hadn’t even given her proper basic necessities of regular food and water, let alone somewhere to relieve herself given the smell in the room.

  
Steve smiled sweetly at the girl. “Susie Storm, right?”

  
She nodded and immediate tension left Steve’s body. He’d done something right by Johnny. _Finally._ Both he and his sister were safe at last.

  
“How do you know who I am?” she asked. In all her life, she’d never expected to be kidnapped, let alone rescued by Captain America himself. Seeing him in person was even more bizarre. He looked like the spitting image of Johnny. She froze and fear drew it’s icy finger up her spine. _“Johnny!_ They took me to get to him!”

  
“He’s safe, he’s okay,” Steve assured her. “I promise. We have a lot to talk about, but right now let’s get you outta here, yeah?”

  
She looked from Steve to Natasha and her posture changed when she consciously decided to trust them. Steve reached out to pick Susie up and Natasha searched the disgusting man for anything helpful. She found a few documents in his pocket as well as a smartphone. She scanned his fingerprints so they’d be able to recreate them and unlock his device before dragging him out of their way by the belt.

  
“Let’s go,” Natasha ordered authoritatively, and Steve followed her out of the room, Susie still in his arms.

  
They exited through the opposite end of the passageway they entered from, through another exterior door leading right into the middle of a live performance by a very loud and raucous band. Revelers were moshing everywhere and nobody took much notice of them.

  
Once clear of the crowds, they made haste back to Victory House. They entered Natasha’s room and Steve locked the door behind them before carefully setting Susie down on the side chair in the sitting area.

  
Natasha pulled the blonde wig off and shook her red hair free, scratching her scalp in relief. She electronically uploaded the findings from her back pocket along with the prints to Jarvis.

  
“Run these prints and tell me who the hell we’re actually dealing with,” she ordered Jarvis.

  
_‘Straight away, Agent Romanov,’_ an electronic voice replied from her device and Susie gaped in awe at the spy in action.

  
Natasha turned to Steve. “You have this okay? I’m going to get her cleaned up.” She went to the bureau and pulled out clean clothes for Susie and gestured with her head toward the restroom. “Come on, there’s a shower with your name written all over it, kid. Then we’ll get you home to see your brother.”

  
“He’s okay? And Reed?” Susie asked again warily as she stood. Natasha held out an arm for her to hold onto as she walked.

  
Steve turned to the two women, a confused look on his face. He’d been so busy focusing on Johnny and his own family that he didn’t think of anyone outside of them. “Who is Reed?”

  
Natasha answered for Susie. “Her fiance. And yes, Reed is safe. We’ll be picking him up on the way back to New York.”


	34. It's a Process

Susie came out of the bathroom, dressed in Natasha’s clothes and looking a tiny bit relaxed, but still withdrawn. She quietly joined Steve and Natasha in the sitting area of the hotel room. 

“Hey there, kid. You doin’ better?” Steve asked and Susie eyed him carefully, but nodded. 

“They kept saying Johnny’s name. I don’t understand the other things they said, but I could tell when they were talking about him. Why?” she demanded.

Steve was taken aback by the immediate response from Susie. She’d been pretty quiet up to that point. 

Steve looked to Natasha, who was still researching the orchestrator of the kidnapping. She shook her head in disappointment.

“Still working on it.”

He turned to Susie and moved down on the sofa, hoping she would sit. When she did, he blew out a breath and took her hand in his own. 

“Johnny is safe. He’s been living with us for just over a week now, and I… have custody of him. I promise we won’t let anyone hurt him, okay?”

“Wait, what? Why do you have custody of him?” Susie asked, backing toward the very edge of the sofa and taking her hand back from Steve.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. You mom didn’t make it. She passed away right before Johnny came to us.”

“No!” Susie shouted. “My mom- Why?” Tears fell from the small brunette’s eyes and she slid onto the floor. She buried her face in her hands and cried, “Oh, god! Not my mommy…”

Natasha slowly approached, making her movements deliberate and audible. “Susie, I’m so sorry. Come here,” she urged, wrapping her arms around the girl.

Susie buried her face in Natasha’s shoulder and cried. They sat there for a few minutes, letting her process. Soon she quieted and her breathing slowed to a few hitching breaths but otherwise normal.

“Why did Johnny come to you? How did-” she tried, but still had trouble speaking. 

Steve reached his hand out and Susie took it, sitting back up on the sofa with him. “Johnny is friends with my daughter Maggie. They go to school together.”

“Maggie- I know that name. She’s a year older, right?” Susie asked thoughtfully, her brow furrowed in concentration. She smirked the tiniest bit, more like a loving grin. “Johnny’s had a crush on her all year.”

Steve huffed a laugh. If nothing else, it added a little levity, considering. “Uh… yeah. That’s not- they’re pretty much brother and sister now. You see, Hydra- they’re the ones we think are responsible for taking you- they uh, experimented on your mom when she was in the hospital when you were little.”

Susie listened with rapt attention. She was devastated from losing her mom and traumatized from being taken, but she was still an intelligent young woman. “What aren’t you telling me, Mr. Rogers?”

Steve sighed. He was afraid this part would drive the girl away, that she would blame him for everything. In truth, he was the only one who was laying the blame. “They cloned me, but your mom got out right after we took the scientists down. We didn’t think they were successful, but…” he looked down, waving a hand in his own direction. “I’m sure you see the resemblance.”

Susie sat with her eyes wide, taking in every detail of Steve’s face and frame. She’d always thought Johnny and Captain America resembled each other, but this was so much more. This wasn’t a resemblance. This was… looking into the future and seeing her baby brother as a grown man?

“You and Johnny?” she asked rhetorically, nodding her head. “This was all because of what they did to mom when I was little?”

“I’m sorry, Susie. If we’d known back then, I would have kept you all safe,” Steve apologized. He really did carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.  

“Steve-” Natasha interrupted. “That’s not your fault.”

“It’s really not,” Susie agreed. “I mean, maybe mom would’ve been alive still, but it’s not like we had a bad life.” There was almost a hint of offense in her tone.

“That’s not- I don’t mean to say…” Steve stuttered. Jesus, he really was a sap. “I’m sure your mom was a wonderful woman, Susie. And a great mom. I just meant to say, if I’d known, then maybe I could have kept you all safe from Hydra. From all this happening to you guys.”

Susie blinked back tears and shrugged sadly. “Mom always knew she was going to go early. She told me from when I was little that when it was just me and Johnny to always be there for each other.”

“She sounds like a really great woman,” Natasha added.

“She was. But I could tell she was hiding something from us whenever the subject of Johnny’s dad came up.” Susie looked directly at Steve. “She said from what she knew of him, he was a good man. She was blessed with Johnny but she didn’t get pregnant the traditional way. We didn’t know what that meant when we were little. When she said she knew she could be both mom and dad,” she shrugged, “we never questioned her past that.” 

Steve nodded, smiling softly. What a woman. “Your ma’s officially my hero.”

Susie huffed out a laugh in agreement. “Yeah, she sure was a badass.” Her face fell and she wiped the tears that began falling of their own accord. “I’m gonna miss her.”

Steve leaned over and pulled Susie into a warm hug. “I’m sorry kiddo. It’s a process, but that’s not something that ever goes away completely.”


	35. Recollection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Tony is in way over his head while Steve and Bucky are away. Maggie knows his limits but appreciates him all the same.

Maggie tossed and turned, the dream’s fingers winding through her consciousness just enough for her to know it wasn’t real but to feel the panic all the same. She couldn’t make out too much, other than darkness and enough of the buildings to know she was still in New York. There were people surrounding her, but they had no discernable faces. Just black shadows that blended into the sea of people. 

She walked faster through the darkness, trying to make out a landmark so she could get home. That’s all she wanted, was to go home. Where she was safe. 

She turned a corner and finally saw the silhouette of the Tower in the distance. She began running, the eery darkness enveloping her like a fog, thick and cold and heavy. She searched the faces of the passers by, looking for someone she knew, but when she could finally make out a face, it was always the same one. The same old man with a strong jaw, grey hair, the same angry eyes.   

He was everywhere she looked and she just  _ knew _ he was bad. She didn’t know why, it was just a  _ feeling. _ She felt it deep in her gut and it wouldn’t go away. She couldn’t shake it, the darkness. Couldn’t wake no matter how many times she willed herself to.

“Maggie, come on Peanut,” Tony’s voice entered her dream. She could hear him calling her but couldn’t find him. The faces- they were all the same man. A small child tugged her hand and she looked down to him, determined to protect him, keep him safe from the faces. She whimpered in horror when he looked up to her from the same haunting angry eyes as everyone around her.

“No!” she screamed, pulling her hand away and covering her ears. Another one of the people had her by the shoulders and she cried out for help. Tony was there, but where? “Uncle Tony!”

“Maggie!” he called louder, shaking her shoulders and her eyes popped open. She bolted upright, searching the room frantically. “Hey, it’s okay. you’re okay. You were dreaming,” he murmured. “I’m right here, Peanut.”

Maggie finally woke enough for her consciousness to clear the thick dark fog. She searched her surroundings, breathing fast and on the verge of panicking. 

She was home, in her bed. 

Tony was there. 

She was okay. 

She climbed into his lap, curling in on herself so she was a tiny ball, shaking. He held her as tightly as she held onto him, rocking her back and forth like he did when she was little. 

“You’re okay, Peanut. It was just a dream.” 

She shook her head, knowing deep in the recesses of her mind it was more than that. She’d had a similar dream about Johnny when he was gone from school. It wasn’t as vivid as this one, but she knew he was in danger. And then everything after happened. 

Silent tears slipped down her cheeks and she burrowed her face further into Tony’s t-shirt. She sniffled against him and shuddered out a deep breath, doing her level best to be calm. 

“It wasn’t just a dream, Uncle Tony. Something bad is gonna happen.”

Tony rubbed a hand up and down her back in reassurance. He knew Maggie had nightmares, sure, but he figured it was kind of par for the course growing up with Avengers and all. Even so, this was a little out of his league. 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” 

That’s something Bruce always asked Tony when he was freaking out, so he figured he’d give it a go with Maggie. When she nodded, his heart jumped a little. Now what was he supposed to do?

“Uh, okay. Tell me… about it?”

Maggie huffed a laugh out against his chest through her tears. She appreciated Tony all the same, but knew he was highly  _ under _ qualified for anything like this. 

“Do you know if Wanda is home?”

Maggie felt Tony’s posture relax as he held her. “Sure is. Hey Jarvis, get Wanda up here, would ya?” He hugged her again and rubbed her back briskly in a totally Uncle Tony way, and Maggie smiled softly, releasing her hold on her uncle so he could breathe better.

“Thanks for waking me up, Uncle Tony,” she yawned. “That really sucked.”

“It’s what I’m here for,” Tony grinned in accomplishment. “Want something while we’re waiting on Wanda? How about some ice cream for you and a Bourbon for me?”


	36. Big Sister Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony thanks six pound-seven ounce baby Jesus that Wanda is there for him and Maggie.   
> Maggie realizes the benefit of having a big sister figure that will keep her secrets.

When Wanda came up to see Maggie, she found her at the kitchen island quietly eating a bowl of mint and chip ice cream. 

“You gonna be okay now, Peanut?” he asked and dropped a kiss on the side of her head.

Maggie nodded. “I’m good. Thanks, Uncle Tony.”

His eyes darted to Wanda and she yawned and waved him off. “Go, we will be fine. We are long overdue for some girl talk anyway.”

“I’m just two floors up, Peanut!” he called over his shoulder as he exited the apartment.

Wanda dug in the drawer for a spoon and sat next to Maggie, stealing some ice cream for herself. She eyed the teen carefully, listening for anything overt coming from her.

“It was the same kind of dream as when Johnny was missing,” Maggie began. “I’m not looking forward to this, but could you take a look for me? I think someone is going to try and take me. There’s this man’s face I keep seeing, and it’s really freaking me out.”

Wisps of red magic lit up from the ends of her fingertips and she waved her hand in the direction of Maggie’s forehead. She was instantly taken back to the dream where she was lost in a sea of faceless people. The little boy tugged on Maggie again, and when he looked up at her she and Wanda both saw the face and jumped. The face was more vivid this time and Maggie knew in her bones she had seen him somewhere before, but couldn’t place him.

“How long has this been happening?” Wanda asked protectively. 

From the work she had done with the researchers at Xavier’s school about an hour upstate, she learned it was common for these types of mutations to manifest during adolescence. She knew exactly what triggered hers and Pietro’s mutations, but Maggie was sixteen already. This was a unique case, to say the least. Her genetics were a big wild card.

Maggie shrugged. Things had been so crazy, it was hard to put a finger on anything. The first time she could recall feeling a similar ominous sense of dread was at Homecoming when she and Peter were dancing and she felt the vibrations before the actual explosion, and she told Wanda so.

“It’s weird, knowing now that Peter’s, well… Peter. I would think he would feel it first. Then I had the really vivid nightmare about Johnny the night- uhm. After Peter and I were studying, when you guys were all in DC except Uncle Tony was here with me?” She blushed, and hoped like hell Wanda didn’t catch on to the way she changed directions. Sometimes Wanda was  _ too easy  _ to talk to, but she didn’t necessarily want to go there. 

Of course, since Maggie called Wanda up for help she was already open to her thoughts, and knew exactly what Maggie was blushing about. She nodded in understanding before taking another spoonful of ice cream from Maggie’s bowl.

“You and Peter... You’ve been intimate?”

Maggie’s jaw dropped and she absolutely wanted to die. “No! Not like, all the way or anything. I mean I’m still... A virgin? We uhm, oh gosh, Wanda do you really want to talk about  _ that?”  _

Wanda laughed fondly. “It it relevant to the matter at hand, so yes, we should talk about it. I promise that anything you tell me stays between you and I.”

“It’s relevant?” Maggie parroted back quietly, curiously. 

Wanda reached out with her pinky finger for Maggie. “Our secret, yes?”

Maggie blew out a nervous breath and hooked her pinky with Wanda’s for their promise. It had been their thing since she was little and it was unbreakable. She took another spoonful of ice cream to delay having to speak, and Wanda saw right through the act.

“You and Peter have dated since what, October?”

Maggie nodded. 

“And this is when you had that feeling before the explosion in the subway, at Homecoming?”

Maggie nodded again, waiting for the real question. She knew where Wanda was going with it. 

“That’s when he first kissed me, that night.”

“Mhmm,” Wanda continued, nodding, “and when you began having the dreams about Johnny? Did anything happen around that time?”

Maggie looked down, blushing furiously now. She nodded again, worrying her lip. “We uhm, were making out and we both, you know… Jeez Wanda, can’t you read my mind or somethin’ so I don’t have to say it out loud?”

Wanda threw her head back in laughter and Maggie giggled with her. “I want you to be comfortable talking to me, Maggie. I was no angel, I can promise you that. I am sure it is nothing many teenagers have not done at some point.”

After telling Wanda what happened the first night she and Peter made out to the point of  _ finishing,  _ Maggie actually felt better. Once the hard part of breaking the news was over, she was finally able to ask questions of her own. 

“How does that have anything to do with me having these dreams?” Maggie asked, still not seeing the connection.

Wanda shrugged, “It directly affects your hormone levels, and mutations are typically triggered by changes in your physiology. Typically we see this beginning around adolescence, but you are unique.”

Maggie gaped at Wanda. “Wow! You sound like Uncle Bruce.”

“Thank you,” Wanda grinned. She’d been heavy into research for years with Xavier’s school and was passionate about identifying new telepaths.

“You think I’m mutating?” Maggie asked, a nervous edge to her voice. Growing up with the family and genetics she had, she knew there were very few things that weren’t possible, but still. She was a teenager and didn’t want to be seen as too much more different that she already was.

“It is nothing to be concerned over, Maggie. There is a high likelihood that a mutation is what caused your vision about Johnny. I think we should take this new vision seriously. We cannot be too careful when it comes to things like this.” 

Maggie’s brow furrowed in concern and Wanda could feel the anxiety radiating from her. She reached out and drew her into a soft embrace, smoothing a hand down her hair.

“Is it gonna get worse every time me and Peter-  _ you know... _ I mean, how long till this ‘change’ is done so I can get used to it?” Maggie asked, holding on and snuggling in.

Wanda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She sat back and cupped Maggie’s cheeks in her hands. “We can do some more research, if you want? With your parent’s permission, of course.”  

Maggie looked into Wanda’s eyes, panic widening her own and Wanda laughed. 

“They do not have to know _ those  _ details. That was just between you and I, remember? We can talk to them together if you like.”

Maggie slumped in relief, “Yes, please. I want you there when I tell them. They might have questions and I don’t have any answers right now.”      


	37. Sister, Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie and Wanda bond over sister talk, Johnny and Susie are reunited, and Steve 2.0 is about to drive Bucky to drink. Not that it would do any good. Fuckin' knockoff serum just HAD to get that part right.

**Sister, Sister**

They eventually moved to the sofa and each took one end, their feet covered with the shared blanket in the middle. Considering the dream had been so vivid that night, and Peter had been over earlier, let’s just say it didn’t take a telepath to figure out there was something happening between them during their alone time.

“You and I are going to go shopping later, yes?” Wanda decided.

Maggie looked up and cocked her head to the side in that Steve-is-a-golden-retriever way they had and Wanda snorted a giggle at her. “Anything in particular you need?” Maggie asked.

“No, not me. You. But I’ll buy them this time.”

Maggie’s covered her cheeks as they burned bright red. She was sure she was going to pull a Johnny and burst into flames right there in her living room. Any. Second. Now.

“Uhm- I don’t know...”

“No _uhms,_ Maggie. You need to be prepared. The last thing you want is to explain to your family that you are sixteen and pregnant.”

“Wanda!”

“Yes, I know what you said. You are a virgin, but I am a realist. I have seen the way you and Peter look at each other. I have also seen how careful he is to hide _certain areas_ of his body during training when he works with you,” she teased, squeezing Maggie’s foot under the blanket.

And jeez, Wanda could be a shit when she wanted to. Maggie blushed a shade darker- if that was even possible- and giggled in acquiescence. “You ain’t lyin’.”

Maggie and Wanda stayed up talking until the sun rose. Maggie asked about her first time, back in her home land of Sokovia, and Wanda answered all of Maggie’s questions as openly and honestly as anyone could.

“His name was Dmitry and I loved him very much. I thought we would marry one day.”

“How old were you, Wanda?” Maggie asked.

That time it was Wanda’s turn to blush. _“I..”_ she began and huffed out a soft laugh. “I was only two months past turning fifteen.”

Maggie’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Younger than _me?”_

Wanda shrugged. “Like I said, I am no angel- no matter what Hank may think.”

_Hank._

Maggie liked what Wanda told her about him. They were knee deep in research together upstate, and twice as deep in love it seemed.

“So what happened? I mean with you and Dmitry…” Maggie prodded.

Wanda smiled ruefully at the memory. She lit up the air with wisps of red magic and two shapes formed, a young man and a girl- Wanda. Maggie watched as they clung together and she felt the overwhelming sadness as he climbed aboard a train and left the girl behind.

“He was older than I by three years. We had the summer together but in the fall he left for university and I only saw him again once. By then he was engaged to a woman he met while studying abroad.”

“I’m sorry, Wanda.”

Maggie became overwhelmed by the emotion of the vision Wanda shared. It was a private, guarded memory and Maggie understood the concern for her wellbeing after experiencing it.

“It happened to you, didn’t it?”

Wanda nodded. “I did have a scare, but no, I was not pregnant. Though I must admit, it was enough to help me understand the seriousness of the choices I made.”

Maggie nodded. She understood that too. If she was going to be making adult choices regarding her body, she should do so responsibly. She loved Peter, couldn’t imagine a time when that would ever stop. Even so, she knew there was absolutely no reason to take a chance on getting pregnant.

God, then her Pop _would_ kill Peter, and not just figuratively, either. ‘Sides, Maggie had dreams and a life ahead of her that didn’t include motherhood for a very long time. If ever. The world was big and the universe was even bigger.

“This mean I get to meet Hank?” Maggie nudged her toes against Wanda’s thigh.

“When we go shopping?” Wanda answered, her tone full of confusion.

Maggie cracked up, throwing her head back in laughter and snorted. “God no! I meant the research with my mutation! OMG- I swear sometimes…”

“Cut me some slack, I am up very early today and we Skyped late into the night,” Wanda teased back, raising a suggestive brow.

“No! Overshare!”

The two dissolved into a fit of giggles but both jumped at the same time when the door opened and a very tired looking Steve came into the foyer. Maggie jumped up from her place on the sofa and ran to him over the back of the couch, throwing her arms around him and hugging his middle.

“Da! I missed you!” she squeezed, not even noticing the two people behind Natasha. “Aunty Nat!”

Maggie stopped short before she threw her arms around Natasha because she finally realized they weren’t alone. Her eyes shot to Steve with an excited yet cautious expression.

“You’re Susie, aren’t you?” Maggie asked quietly once she caught the apprehensive look on the smaller girl’s face, who nodded back. “I’m Maggie. I’m so happy to meet you. We were worried sick.”

Susie stuck out her hand for Maggie, which she took. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Maggie. This is Reed, my fiance,” Susie turned and wrapped herself into Reed’s space.

The tall lean brunet nodded to Maggie and reached for her hand. “Pleasure.”

Maggie realized she was standing right in the way and backed into the apartment, pulling Steve’s bag off his shoulder. Steve looked to the sofa and saw Wanda standing next to it quietly.

“Everything okay?” he asked, concern furrowing his brow. The two were both in their nightclothes and it was very early for them to be awake. Especially Maggie. She was an absolute marsupial lately.

“We’re fine,” Wanda shrugged dismissively, coming closer to introduce herself to Susie and Reed. “Maggie just needed some sister time.”

Susie shot Wanda an understanding look. “Johnny needs that sometimes too.” She turned to Steve and then Natasha. “What time did you say they’d be back here?”

The anxiety to see her baby brother was evident and Reed pulled her back into his space reassuringly. Steve pulled out his phone and looked at the time.

“Should be any minute. He didn’t want to wait once Buck woke him to say we were gettin’ close to the Tower.”

As if on queue, the door opened again and Johnny came barreling in, straight to his sister.

“Susie!” he gasped and picked her up in a crushing hug. “I was so worried about you! I’m sorry, Susie. So, so sorry.”

“Johnny!” Susie squeaked and wrapped her arms around his neck. Just briefly, though because she was bruised and battered, and Johnny was stronger than he still realized. “Ugh, Johnny- not so tight!” she wheezed and he put her down carefully.

He stepped back and cupped her face, looking her over with scrutiny. Dark anger flashed in his bright blue eyes and a hard line set in his jaw as he noted each and every bruise and cut to her face, neck and temple. He jutted his chin out to Steve defiantly.

“What did they do to her?” he demanded.

Steve’s jaw dropped. He just brought the kid’s sister back, thank you very fucking much, and now he was the asshole? Fuck his life.

“I- uh…” he stammered and actually took a half a step back. Bucky stood with his arm around Steve’s waist and raised a palm out toward Johnny to interject.

“Come on now, kid,” he said defensively on behalf of Steve.

Johnny immediately realized he’d directed his rage at the wrong person and apologized.

 _“God,_ I- I’m sorry…” Johnny stuttered, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “I only meant-”

Steve shrugged one shoulder and cut him off. “It’s fine, kid,” he replied dryly. His eyes shot to Bucky and he mumbled something about going for a run before he turned on his heel and walked out the door.

“That conversation we had?” Bucky asked Johnny, referring to his lack of a functioning avenue of communication with Steve. “No better time than the present.” He nodded toward the door with his chin and turned to follow Steve.

Johnny reached out for his arm. “Wait. Pop,” Johnny called. “I can do it.”

Bucky quirked a brow. “You sure?” and Johnny furrowed his brow, jutting out his chin stubbornly. And _Holy Moses,_ the kid really was Steve through and through. It was a damned good thing Bucky had over a century of experience dealing with the little shit. A mother-fuckin' damned good thing because now he got it times two.

“Yeah, okay.”

Johnny nodded and kissed Susie on the cheek before taking off out the door, already asking Jarvis for Steve’s location.

 _“Okhuyét’ Yasha?,”_ Natasha cursed and Maggie’s jaw dropped. Uh, she would get read the riot act if she talked to her Da like Johnny just did.

 _“Net der'ma',”_ Bucky agreed on a sigh, shaking his head in exasperation.

  
  


 

 

Russian translation:

_Okhuyét’ = What the fuck?_

_Net der'ma' = No shit_


	38. An Extra Helping of Guilt

**An Extra Helping of Guilt**

_‘The Captain is on his way to the training level,’_ Jarvis answered and opened the elevator door for Johnny.

Training level, Johnny hadn't been there but the one time so far. It was the day Tony had begged Steve to let him see the kid’s moves. He remembered the way, though. That was the easy part. He just had to figure out what to say.

How does one apologize to an older, wiser, cooler-to-an-entirely-intimidating-level version of oneself? Looking at Steve, he knew what his future held, physically at least. He would age well, better than most of the population. He would also have the unmistakable physique of Captain America and that was a goddamned mountain of a lot to live up to.

What really baked Johnny’s noodle was- would people ever really see him or would they just see a copy of a hero, a fake, an imposter?

Yeah, intimidating was an understatement, that's for sure. The elevator doors opened, interrupting Johnny’s anxiety-riddled internal monologue. He half expected to see Steve on one of the treadmills, since he said he was going to run. Instead, he was greeted with the sight of an angry Steve completely obliterating an innocent heavy bag.

Bigger than that, really.

An _extra_ heavy bag.

And Steve was beating the ever-loving piss right out of it.

Johnny froze at the sight. The longer Steve worked the bag, the deeper the indentations got from the heavy blows he dealt it over and over. After one especially forceful punch, the bag flew across the room, spilling sand in its wake and bringing down the metal ring it once hung from.

_Jesus._

How on earth did Johnny ever think mouthing off to _that_ was a good idea? He must be either certifiably idiotic or have a death wish. Possibly both.

“Uhm,” he began and Steve turned quickly in his direction. Must not have heard him enter with all the manly destruction moments earlier.

Steve's eyes narrowed and he looked behind Johnny. The kid was alone.

“Yeah,” he grunted more than asked. He sighed, then spoke in a friendlier tone, trying to shave a hint of the _Steve_ from his voice. “Whaddya need, Johnny?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute? If you… uh,” he gestured to the new heavy bag Steve had slung over his shoulder to hang.

Steve nodded and put the bag up on the hook. He reached for the pre-wrap and tape before he walked over to Johnny, gesturing to the kid’s hands.

“Lemme see your hands,” Steve ordered gruffly, gesturing with his chin. He knew his tone wasn't the most approachable, but Steve Rogers had never quite given half-a-fuck about anyone's feelings when he was fighting mad.

Johnny seemed to have a talent for bringing that out of him. It was like the five stages of grief, just without the grief, he was sure. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. While he hadn't exactly followed the order, Steve was pretty sure he'd gone through them all. Of course, because he was Steve _mother fuckin’_ Rogers, he added an extra helping of Guilt into the mix while he was at it.

He tugged Johnny's hand forward and began wrapping it for boxing. “Pay attention,” he muttered while winding the wrap and tape in and out, around Johnny’s hand.

Johnny obediently watched how Steve prepared the wrap for his other hand. An urge overcame him before Steve started though.

“Wait,” he blurted and Steve stopped.

Steve looked up from the wrappings and met a mirror image of bright blue. The kid was only fourteen but they stood practically eye to eye. And his face, he knew the look. The, _‘I fucked up and now I'm trying to fix this,’_ in Johnny’s expression. Knew it all too well, actually.

The curiosity got the best of him and Steve took Johnny's hand in his own, holding them up in a mirroring position and curiously evaluated the exactness of them.

“This is so fuckin’ weird, ain't it?” Steve shook his head, cracking a grin _finally._

Johnny visibly relaxed an infinitesimal amount and shrugged. “Never thought this would happen. I don’t really know how to feel about it all, but Pop said-”

“Pop?” Steve interrupted.

Bucky was _Pop_ already and Steve was still the asshole? That was great for the self esteem. A real nice kick to the metaphorical nuts, kid.  

“Uhm, yeah. He- we... “ Johnny stuttered. He knew he was blushing and hated himself for it. At least now he knew why he didn’t share Susie and his mom’s olive skin.

“Sorry,” Steve sighed. “Go on. You were saying somethin’ about you and Pop?”

It was cool. Steve could deal with this. No big deal. He heard Bucky’s voice deep in his head. It sounded a lot like _‘Jesus, Stevie. Don’t be such a martyr, huh?’_

Thanks for that, brain.

“Yeah,” Johnny continued. “We talked a lot on the drive and I think I-” Johnny stopped abruptly. The tears were coming back. Why the hell did he always fall apart around Steve?

“Hey,” Steve soothed. He squeezed Johnny’s shoulder in reassurance. “It’s gonna be okay, yeah? We got Susie back safe and you’re all gonna be okay.”

Johnny shook his head. “But it’s not okay. The way I am with you? You don’t deserve it and I’m,” he shuddered out a breath and looked up through the tears threatening to spill. “I’m sorry.”

Steve was pretty sure his heart might have just broken open in the weirdest way imaginable. He pulled Johnny into a crushing hug and held him by the back of his head. Johnny buried his face into Steve’s shoulder and finally let it all out. He melted into Steve, finally letting out all the anger and fear and frustration and confusion.

“There ya go,” Steve murmured as Johnny fisted his hands into the back of Steve’s shirt. “I know, kid. I know.”

The dad in Steve pushed everything else aside and just held Johnny patiently. It was nothing he hadn’t done many times for Maggie. Johnny was no different. Except in all the ways he was.

He was still a kid. At only fourteen years old, Steve was a mess too. He was picking fights with anything that moved and was pissed at the world. Mostly, he was pissed at his shitty health and fragile little body.

Lucky for Steve, he had Bucky and his Ma. Johnny didn’t have a Bucky- not that Steve knew of and he certainly didn’t have his Ma anymore. In that moment, Steve made a decision.

He pulled back once Johnny’s breathing began to level out again. “Hey,” he urged Johnny to look at him. “You and me? We’re gonna be alright. Nothin’ we can’t figure out as a family.”

Steve figured the resolve in his tone must have worked because Johnny met his eyes and nodded more confidently.

“Still- I’m sorry for being a dick.”

Steve huffed a laugh and patted Johnny’s cheek. “Yeah? Just don’t get used to doin’ it.”

Johnny held up his one wrapped hand. “I’m sure Susie’s tired from everything. Do you mind teaching me a bit?”

Steve nodded over across the room. “Come on. Let’s see what’cha got. You’ll be surprised how much better you feel after.”


	39. Finding Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie needs a little Pop time.

**Finding Time**

Maggie’s eyes shot to Bucky after Johnny left. There was an awkward silence before anyone spoke again. 

“I’m going to go home and take a nap,” Wanda yawned before giving Maggie an affectionate tug on her hair. She turned and gave Bucky a kiss on the cheek and nodded to Susie and Reed. “I’m Wanda, by the way. I look forward to meeting you both later after we’ve all rested.” 

_ “My pogovorim pozzhe?” _ Natasha asked, well, more like told Maggie and Wanda. 

Maggie’s eyes widened and she shot a nervous little smile at Bucky. Sure, they’d talk later. No problem. And great, the cat was out of the bag. Leave it to her Aunty Nat to see there was something going on.  

Bucky spoke up next, assuaging Susie and Reed’s curiosity. “Johnny’s got some air to clear with Steve, so they might be a while. Lemme show you to your apartment.”

“I've got it, Yasha.” 

Natasha kissed Maggie's cheek before ushering Susie and Reed out the door behind Wanda. 

_ “Da, spasibo,”  _ Bucky agreed.

He drug a hand down his tired face after he closed the door. The past week and a half hadn't been easy on any of them. He looked over at Maggie and drew her into his arms. He pressed his face into her hair and mumbled against the top of her head. “You doin’ okay, Squirt?”

“I guess. Rough night is all. I had another nightmare, but Uncle Tony woke me up.” Maggie raised her eyes to Bucky and shrugged in that self-deprecating way of Steve’s. “Wanda stayed with me.”

She grew quiet again and started worrying her lip. Bucky knew the look meant there was more to it. 

“You hungry? How ‘bout I make you some pancakes and you tell me about the dream.”

It was a rhetorical question in the way he slung his arm around her small frame and lead her to the kitchen. Before he was able to move to the cabinets, Maggie grabbed onto him tight and buried her face in his chest as her tears began to fall. 

“I’m scared, Pop.”

Bucky wrapped his baby girl up in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Hey,” he cooed, “it’s okay Squirt. Talk to me, yeah? What happened?”

“Wanda said,” she sniffled and shuddered out a breath. “She said she thinks I’m  _ mutating.” _

“Really?” Bucky asked and his head cocked to the side. “How are- why does she think that? Is it your dreams?”

Maggie nodded her head against Bucky’s chest and held onto his waist tighter. She cried harder, and Bucky wondered what it was about the dreams that had her so upset. 

“Come on, you.” 

He picked Maggie up, carried her back to her room and put her in bed. Once he kicked his shoes off, he climbed in next to her and pulled her into his side, just like he’d always done when she had a bad dream. She pulled the blanket up over her shoulders and snuggled against him, finding her spot easily.

“You’ve always had real good intuition, honey. Is that gettin’ stronger?”

Maggie nodded and hiccupped a breath. 

“This last one scared you. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left you, not with everything else goin’ on,” he murmured, pressing another kiss to the top of her head. 

Maggie shrugged. “It’s okay, you had to get Johnny out. And I would've been fine but…” 

Maggie was unsure exactly how much she wanted to tell Bucky. Wanda was going to be there later to help, but she felt like there were already enough  _ things  _ she wasn’t telling her parents, and this one was big.

“My dreams? Wanda calls ‘em, visions. They’ve been getting stronger, and she thinks it’s because I’m mutating.” She wiped her eyes on Bucky’s t-shirt and began playing absently with the fringe along the edge of her favorite blanket. “I think someone’s gonna try and take me.”

Bucky stiffened and his hold on Maggie tightened when she told him the details of her most recent dream. She tried describing the man’s face as best she could, but there was always something  _ just  _ out of her mind’s reach.

“Don’t mutations usually start with puberty or somethin’? You’re kinda old for it to be happening now,” Bucky tried to reason. It wasn’t that he was in denial per se, just trying to make sense of everything. He knew the average age of kids beginning at Xavier’s school was much younger than Maggie. 

She shook her head. “It’s hard to tell because of my genetics. She said there might be- well, other factors at play.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

Maggie shrugged again. Nope. She wasn’t going there today. No thank you.

“I dunno, just  _ stuff _ ‘cause I’m a unique case. She wants to take me to meet with Hank- if you ‘n Da agree, of course.” Maggie squirmed to look up at Bucky and gauge his reaction. 

He was staring toward nothing specific, worrying his lip. Thinking. That’s not always a bad sign, she figured. At least he wasn’t bouncing his foot. He huffed a breath, not annoyed- just confused? 

“Yeah, okay. You wanna wait ‘till after finals and we’ll all go?”

Oh. A family trip kinda thing. She hadn’t thought of it like that. There was probably a lot about Johnny they would be interested in, too. Maybe that would keep them busy so she and Wanda could talk to Hank about the _ other _ likely cause of the changes. Perfect. 

“Yeah, okay,” she parroted back to Bucky. 

Bucky’s stomach growled and Maggie snorted a laugh. 

“You guys didn’t eat, huh?”

“Nah, Johnny really wanted to get back to Susie. Pancakes?”

“Only if I can help you make bacon and eggs too. I’m starving!” Maggie grinned. “Thanks, Pop, I feel better after talking to you. You always make me feel better,” she poked him in the side and he jumped.

“Hey now, don’t start what you can’t finish,” he warned and Maggie shrieked as she bolted up out of bed and to the kitchen.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Russian Translation

_ My pogovorim pozzhe?  _ = We’ll talk later?


	40. Finals Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie's having more and more odd experiences, and Johnny is extra clued in on her feelings. The stress of finals isn't helping and Peter just wants to know what's going on between the two of them. Jealousy is not an easy thing to deal with, for anyone. Neither is an increasing mutation- especially during finals.

**Finals Week**

Maggie and Johnny walked into school arm in arm. They had just finished a heart to heart that morning on the way to school, coming clean about why they’d been so short with each other recently. Turns out neither were very good at managing their stress about finals, and on top of that, they both were apprehensive about the upcoming trip to Xavier’s school.

“You don’t have to do anything there, Johnny. In fact, I’m sure if you asked, you could stay home,” Maggie offered with a shrug. “I want you to come, but not if it’s gonna make you uncomfortable.”

“Think they’ll just let me hang out? I mean, I really don’t wanna be experimented on… you know?”

That’s when Maggie looped her arm through Johnny's and squeezed. “I totally get it, I’m just tired of not knowing what else to expect when I go to sleep every night,” Maggie added, talking quieter once they were in the main hall. 

Johnny stopped Maggie and pulled her over to the side. His eyes shifted up and down the hall, checking for privacy’s sake. He seemed to find enough of it because he leaned in close to Maggie’s ear and confided something he’d been holding onto for a few weeks.

“I didn’t want to say anything before, and I don't even know if this would be happening if I never came to live with you guys, but when you have those dreams?” 

He paused, searching Maggie’s identical eyes for understanding, for permission to continue. His jaw set in a line and he looked down and huffed out a defeated breath.

“What are you trying to say, Johnny? What’s happening?” Maggie’s curiosity was beyond piqued. 

He sighed again and met her eyes. Though he felt vulnerable and exposed, he plowed forward. “I think I know when it happens.”

Maggie’s brows rose and an immediate blush warmed her cheeks. Her mouth opened to say something but nothing came out. It was odd, the way she felt about what Johnny said. She didn’t have a chance to put a name to the feeling before the five minute bell rang and they had to part, lockers in opposite directions. 

“Forget I said anything, Maggie. We gotta…”

Maggie nodded. Finals. Their heads needed to be in the game. 

“After school?” she asked, grabbing onto Johnny’s arm. He nodded. “Good luck, huh?”

“You too.” 

He bent to drop a kiss on her cheek, which seemed to be his thing lately. She didn’t mind- it was sweet, really. Her new baby brother, giant as he was, always trying to be protective over her. Maggie half-expected Johnny’s attention to shift back to Susie once she was back, but that didn’t happen. Sure, they were close, but there was an entirely different component developing between he and Maggie.

***

Bio lab was as fascinating as a final could possibly get, what with the cell fractionation and DNA isolation project. Peter was still Maggie’s lab partner. That would have been a bonus had the day been any different, however as the morning progressed, Maggie’s senses were increasingly raw. 

Maybe it was finals week. 

Maybe it was their trip upstate rapidly approaching. 

Or maybe, just maybe, there was something under her skin- an itch that needed scratching but she couldn’t quite get to. It was like wearing jeans and having an itch on your thigh- or on you foot when your winter boots were all laced up. You could apply pressure when you scratched, even feel a little friction but the sharpness of what you needed for actual relief remained just out of reach.

Maggie sighed. She replayed what she could remember of the vision she kept having, desperately trying to make sense of it. If she couldn’t at make sense of it, she at least wanted to be as familiar as possible with the face so she could be prepared. 

Strong jaw. 

Grey hair.

Angry eyes.

She was completely lost in her thoughts and staring out the window when Peter joined her at their table. He entered just as the bell rang and attendance was already beginning. Busy day, finals and all.

“Hey, Maggie,” Peter called softly. 

She was too far gone to notice.

Strong jaw.

Grey hair.

Angr- “Huh?” Maggie blinked when she felt Peter’s hand squeeze her thigh.

“Maggie Rogers-Barnes,” the teacher repeated.

“Oh- sorry, uhm, present,” she managed.

Peter’s hand on her thigh squeezed again and she met his eyes. They were dark and narrowed. Worried. She hated when he looked at her like that.

“Are you okay, baby?” he whispered to her in that intimate way he had with her, quiet enough that hardly anyone heard it but he knew she could. She nodded and shrugged on instinct like whatever she was thinking was no big deal. Better to play it off. Better to not worry anyone or draw attention to herself.

“I’m fine.”

_ Lies. _

The next thing she knew, it was time to get started. They isolated nuclei from the calf thymus tissue and examined it microscopically, charting their findings. Next, using detergent and alcohol in a simple procedure, they extracted the DNA from the isolated nuclei.

Maggie’s mind couldn’t help but wander to that night in Tony’s lab when he explained the process the AIM scientists likely used when creating Johnny. 

_ Creating. _

It was still hard to wrap her mind around, the actual completion of something so intricate. There were too many variables. What if there were others like Johnny out there? What if they weren’t as successful, but were  _ close?  _ What would  _ close enough _ be like, anyhow?  

Peter’s hand covered Maggie’s as she sat paused, staring blankly at the small centrifuge on their table. Lost in thought, again.  _ Again, Maggie.  _ Get it together.

“We’re almost done, okay?” Peter reassured her as she met his eyes, her own full of curious apprehension. 

He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the back of her knuckles as the centrifuge spun, doing it’s best to separate additional nuclei for a repeat experiment. After all, science wasn’t science if you couldn’t repeat the process to confirm your findings.

Maggie did her level best to fake a smile but an odd sensation came over her. It was like a warm blanket covering her. Reassuring, but foreign. Peter reached out and pulled her into a hug as the small machine on the table vibrated with the accelerated rotations. The feeling intensified when Peter’s arms closed around her shoulders and she  _ heard _ him though he was silent. She relaxed into his arms, though they were in the middle of class and that kind of thing was frowned upon. Like, a lot.

_ She’s gonna be okay. _

_ I just gotta get her outside of her head and she’ll feel better. _

_ God, I hope I can help her. _

A shiver of cold ran up her spine and she felt eyes behind them. 

_ Get a fuckin’ room Parker. _

Maggie instinctively pulled out of Peter’s embrace and turned around just in time to see Flash look away like he’d been caught. 

And what the  _ actual _ fuck? It wasn’t enough that she was having visions when she should be sleeping, growing her brain like a normal sixteen year old, but now she could hear people, too? Suddenly the room seemed too small and the smell of the detergent and alcohol her classmates were using made her want to vomit. She had to get out of there, get some fresh air.

Maggie stood, almost knocking her stool over and staggered out of the classroom as quickly as possible. She pushed the door open and ran down the hall to the quad. Outside, she needed to be outside. 

The fresh air filled her lungs and she darted for the nearest trash can, stomach seizing. Everything it contained came back up in one giant, violent heave. She coughed and sputtered through it and wiped her mouth on the back of her hoodie sleeve. Arms were wrapped around her and a familiar voice did it’s best to comfort her as she was pulled against a chest. Tears started coming heavy and hot, streaking down her cheeks and she buried her face against Peter’s chest.

Maggie heard the teacher’s familiar voice, asking what happened and if she was okay and Peter tightened his hold on her. He made a lame excuse about food poisoning from a restaurant the night before and she heard the teacher tell him to get her to the health office. Then there was another familiar voice.   

Johnny?

“Hey, Maggie… what happened? Are you- is she okay?”

“What are you doing out of class, Mr. Storm?”

The teacher again. She didn’t know, hadn’t the first clue as to what was really going on. 

Another warm blanket of comfort covering Maggie’s shoulders. 

_ You’ll be okay, Maggie. _

_ We’ll get you through this, we’ll take care of you. _

Aww, Johnny.

But then a little shiver. Nothing like in the classroom, but a shiver nonetheless.

_ Jesus, Storm- I’ve got her. _

_ This guy’s always in the way. _

Maggie looked up to Peter and met his eyes defiantly. “No he’s  _ not.  _ Don’t say that, Peter.”

“Huh?” was Peter’s surprised response and Maggie swayed as she did her best to make sense. Peter hadn’t _ thought  _ he said anything out loud, but that was a conversation for an entirely different time.

“Johnny, go back to class. Now,” the teacher ordered. “Peter, get her to the office.”

Maggie swayed again and she felt Peter scoop her up before she could have hit the ground. 

“I got her Johnny, she’s okay,” she heard Peter say. 

Her head lulled back to the side and she tried like hell to focus on the group of people gathered in the quad, all focused on her. The teacher, Peter, Johnny. Way to make a scene, Maggie.

And Maggie had just heard people’s  _ thoughts.  _ They weren’t her own and she wasn’t supposed to be able to do that, okay. And to top it off, she was pretty sure she had vomit in her hair. So no Peter, no. She definitely was not okay. 

Peter carried Maggie straight into the health office and laid her down on the gurney. She tried to sit up, but he gently pushed her back with a hand on her shoulder. She flopped back and closed her eyes, pressing the heels of her hands against them until she saw stars. 

She heard Peter telling the nurse the bullshit food poisoning story and she was remarkably relieved. She didn’t have it in her to make something up on the spot like that. Not today.

“I’ll take it from here, Mr. Parker,” the office aide  _ (read: agent) _ offered and Maggie felt Peter’s hand tighten around her own. The same prickliness trailed up her spine as when she heard him grousing in his head about Johnny back in the quad. The agent looked annoyed at Peter and addressed Maggie directly. “Do you need me to call your mom?”

That was code for  _ are you in danger.  _ They worked it out on the agent’s first day, back when she shocked her friends by being called to the office. She shook her head.

Fuck her young life, that wasn’t a smart move. The room spun a few seconds after Maggie stopped shaking her head and she groaned, covering her mouth. Peter’s hand was on her, trying to rub soothing stripes up and down her back as she curled up on her side.

“Your mother, Maggie?” the agent asked again, phone out of her pocket and at the ready.

“No,” Maggie squeaked and held out her hand. She cleared her throat and opened her eyes fully, making herself look as fine as she could. “I don’t need to call her. I- like Peter said… We ate out last night and I think I got something bad. I’ll be fine.”

And really, bless the school nurse, because she quietly waited just outside the door for the chaos in the room to settle. Once the agent looked satisfied and left with a curt nod, the nurse came back into the small room. The small woman with a comforting expression on her face scanned Maggie’s forehead with the digital thermometer and handed her a cool cloth for her face. She checked Maggie’s vitals and wrote everything down on a sticky note before meeting Maggie’s eyes.

“So, ate something bad, huh?” she asked, apparently knowing full well, and completely accepting the fact that there was  _ something else _ going on. 

But Maggie’s vitals were stable and she was beginning to feel better with the quiet and rest, so she left well enough alone. 

Once Maggie had rinsed her mouth, eaten a few soda crackers and kept down half of a small apple juice, the nurse was in and out in mere moments to check on her again.      

“Why are you so annoyed by Johnny, Peter?” Maggie asked quietly. 

He looked down at her, still laying on her side on the gurney and his hand stopped as it was trailing up her back. “I’m not, he’s just- I dunno. Seems like he forgets _I’m_ your boyfriend sometimes. Not him.”

There it was, the crux of it all. Peter was jealous. Still? Still! Maggie groaned. 

“Really?” she asked, sitting up slowly and testing for more dizziness. Thankfully there was none. She pulled Peter in closer and he moved between her legs as they dangled from the gurney. Maggie tugged against the fabric of Peter’s t-shirt and held him there. “Peter, he’s my brother. And back at Homecoming, that dumb stuff Flash said. It can’t still be bugging you, right?”

Peter’s cheeks flushed. He was ashamed to admit it, especially when Maggie put it like that. Yeah, he was jealous of the time Maggie and Johnny spent together. He was jealous of the fact that Maggie seemed so immediately connected to Johnny, and that they were so physically close. It really got under his skin every damn time he saw Johnny kiss Maggie’s cheek and how when she hugged him, she snuggled so easily into his space.

“I love you, Peter.  _ You. _ That’s never gonna change, remember?” Maggie peeked out the glass toward the nurse, who had just gotten up and walked around the corner for something. A little smirk curled her lips and she nibbled her bottom lip. “Come here,” she whispered, looking out the window again.

Peter did the same and Maggie took him by the jaw with her hands, meeting his lips softly and quietly. The moment she touched him, all of his frustration and jealousy and  _ ugh _ vanished. All he could think of, all he felt was his complete and inexorable love for her. Peter reached out for Maggie, finding her hips and holding on as they kissed. It was soft and sweet, innocent and teasing in the way that Peter knew where it lead when Maggie began like this. It was everything Maggie was, and everything Peter ever wanted in his life.

Peter had wrapped Maggie in his arms and they held each other quietly. They had just broken apart when the nurse cleared her throat. When she walked in, they both jumped and she met them with a knowing grin.

“I just need a moment alone with my patient, please,” she instructed Peter in a clinical tone, though the look on her face belied the formality. She smiled, “You are doing fine now. You can go back whenever you feel ready, okay? We just have one last thing to wrap up.” 

Maggie nodded toward the door to Peter. “I’ll be right out. Walk me back to class?”

When it was just the two of them, the nurse shut the door over and sat on the stool across from the gurney. She folded her hands on her lap and looked Maggie over with a curious tilt to her head. 

“I need to ask you a few personal questions. Is that okay Maggie?” she began. 

Maggie was pretty sure she knew where this was going. “Ask away.”

“Have you heard of intimate partner violence?”

Okay, that’s not what Maggie was expecting. “Uhm, yes?”

“And is there anything you’d like to talk about? You can tell me if you’ve ever been scared, or hurt, or maybe felt like you weren’t in control of your own choices?”

Maggie shook her head vehemently. “No, not at all. Peter, he’s-” she stopped then smiled fondly. “He’s the sweetest guy ever. He’d never hurt me.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear that. He seems very caring. Do you know the date of your last menstrual period?”

Maggie took out her phone and opened her period tracker app. “Uhm, twelve days ago? I average about every twenty-nine days. Religiously almost,” she joked.

“Mhmm,” the nurse murmured. “And are you sexually active?”

Maggie’s cheeks burned with a blush and she knew it showed every bit as much as she felt it. Thanks for the Irish skin, Da. She shook her head and fiddled with her hands, absently cracking her knuckles. 

“We uh, haven’t gone all the way. I mean, I’m- you know, a virgin.”

The nurse nodded, a reassuring smile on her face. “Okay, thank you for being open with me Maggie. I’d like to get some urine from you, to make sure you’re not dehydrated, but I’ll be honest, it will also check for pregnancy. It’s standard procedure due to your symptoms. Will you agree to that?”

Maggie cocked her head, she’d just told the nurse she was a virgin. She guessed not everyone was honest about those things, though. It made sense. 

“Sure, no problem.”

The nurse smiled brightly. “Great, the cups are in the restroom, just through there,” she motioned toward another door in the small room. “Make sure you clean yourself from front to back first, and bring it out once you’ve finished.”

Maggie returned and the nurse had a few strips set up on a tray next to the counter. She watched as the first strip was dipped and the nurse held it up to a reference chart. 

“Completely normal, good hydration,” she commented. She took a small dropper and put a few drops of urine onto a small disc and Maggie watched as the control symbol turned up, a pink check mark next to a negative sign. “Negative for hCG, that means you’re not pregnant, which we knew, but I had to confirm.”

“So everything’s fine then?” Maggie asked. 

“Fit as a fiddle as far as I can see.”

Maggie thanked the nurse for letting her rest and opened the door to meet Peter in the office waiting area. The nurse followed her out and Peter’s face lit up when he saw the two of them. “Everything good?” he asked.

The nurse handed Peter and Maggie both passes for their teachers. “Thank you for helping me keep an eye on our girl, here Mr. Parker.”

Peter grinned at the nurse and took his pass. “I’m just glad she’s okay.” Maggie threaded her fingers through Peter’s and he thanked the nurse again.

Maggie did too. “Thanks for letting me rest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying the story, please drop a note to say hi! I love hearing from readers, it makes the experience that much more fun :) You can also find me over on Tumblr @ caleprwrite there, too.


	41. The Honeymoon Phase - OR- Grade A Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So far Maggie and Johnny have been getting along great. Steve still feels like their dynamic as a family needs work, or maybe it's just something he's personally missing. Bucky's totally been expecting a tiff.

**The Honeymoon Phase -OR- Grade A Dick**

Somehow, Maggie managed to dodge Johnny’s questions the rest of the day at school. At home, it wasn’t so easy.  Mostly hiding out in her room under the guise of studying, she insisted she was fine. Just had way too much studying to do; no time to talk was all.

In truth, she knew she was avoiding him and felt like a Grade A Dick for doing so. Especially when she felt the warm blanket of feelings again, as she’d lovingly named it, and knew it was Johnny from the other side of the wall. It was warm, and soothing, like being wrapped up in strong arms and protected from the world outside.

_Man, I wish she’d just let me in._

_She’s not kidding anyone, those dreams aren’t getting any better._

_Maybe I should just tell her._

She wondered what it was he wasn't telling her, and was just about to go to him when Steve called them out to eat. Hiding out in her room wasn’t fixing anything, so Maggie sat down at the table and firmly decided to tell her family everything. Well, not _everything,_ she wasn’t an idiot. There were some things that she didn’t need to discuss, especially at the dinner table. She did need to be honest about the visions and the things she was hearing, though. And she needed to stop pushing Johnny away.

“I can hear people’s thoughts,” she began out of nowhere once they were all seated.

Bucky was the first to respond, fork full of pasta halfway to his mouth. “Do what now, Squirt?”

“But, not all the time. Like, right now? I can’t. But I- sometimes,” she shrugged. “I feel ‘em too.”

Thankfully, everyone at the table spoke Maggie, so they understood her stammering.

“You think this is part of your mutation, Sweetheart?” Steve asked, curious, though he sounded a bit worried.

“Mutation?” Johnny parroted.

Maggie nodded, meeting Johnny’s eyes. “Wanda says that’s what’s happening. That it started with the dreams- or uhm, visions. But now sometimes I’m hearing people and _feeling_ when they’re thinking about me. I haven’t told her that part yet.”

“Are you feeling it right now?” Bucky asked.

Maggie shook her head. “I dunno why I’m not right now. Maybe ‘cause I’m expecting it? It comes and goes.”

“This morning at school... Is that what happened?” Johnny asked and Maggie met his eyes apologetically. A light blush colored her cheeks and gave away her embarrassment.

“What happened at school?” Steve asked and reached across the table, covering Maggie’s hand with his own. His brow furrowed in worry and he studied Maggie and Johnny closely, trying to catch up to the day’s events.

“Uhm, during Bio... I was having a hard time concentrating. I think I heard Peter’s thoughts, and then also this guy Flash.”

“And?” Johnny prodded, knowing that wasn’t all. He _was_ there, Maggie.

“I felt kinda hot and dizzy, and when I went outside I threw up,” Maggie shrugged like it was no big deal.

Johnny’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t look good at all, and you were having a hard time standing on your own.”

Maggie sat back, folded her arms across her chest and gave Johnny a _look._  “I was _fine.”_

He scoffed and folded his arms across his chest right back, looking every bit the cocky punk she originally took him for as his jaw set and he met her eyes with a challenge. “The paint on the wall was less white than your face. You weren’t fine.”

Steve and Bucky watched the exchange between the two. So far they’d gotten along wonderfully but it was inevitable that they would eventually disagree on something. Honeymoon phase and all.

Maggie rolled her eyes. “What were _you_ doing there, anyway?” she asked, deflecting and changing the subject.

“I- uhm…” Johnny scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat nervously. The cockiness in his posture disappeared. His eyes darted from Bucky, then Steve before he looked at Maggie again- sheepishly this time. “Remember what I told you this morning? I can tell when you’re having those nightmares?”

Her face softened and she nodded for him to continue.

“Well… Same thing.”

“You can tell when Maggie has her visions?” Steve asked and Johnny nodded.

Maggie sat with her mouth open. Was this happening to Johnny too? “Do you- I mean, are you having those too?”

“No,” he shook his head and furrowed his brow in complete and simple frustration. “I just- I dunno… Have a feeling I guess? Like you’re calling me or I need to check on you,” he mumbled and shrugged one shoulder.

“Alright guys, here’s what we’re gonna do,” Bucky announced.

All eyes turned to him, including Steve. It was ironic, funny enough, to have all of that intense blue focused directly on him. He smirked a tiny bit to himself at the thought, then cleared his throat and schooled his expression.

_Pay attention, Barnes._

“I’ll talk to Wanda. I wanna have you two up to Xavier’s place this weekend. You’re finished with finals after tomorrow, yeah?”

Maggie nodded and Johnny’s back stiffened as he held his breath, hesitating to agree. He looked from Maggie to Steve, then back to Bucky.

Pop should understand. If anyone would _get_ not wanting to be experimented on, it would be him, but Steve was the first one to notice Johnny’s hesitation.

“You okay, Johnny?”

Johnny looked down at his plate and pushed the food around, which was not like him, okay. The kid could eat better than Steve. He shrugged and looked up at Maggie, his eyes unsure and his expression practically begging for help.

“Johnny doesn’t wanna he experimented on. Can't he just get to know people, maybe ask some questions if he wants to?”

Bucky's face fell. He totally missed the mark on that one. Grade A Dick father award. He’d like to thank the Academy.

“Of course, Johnny. You don't have do any of their tests, not until you're ready. And if you're never ready, that's fine too,” Steve answered.

Johnny looked up at him, relief softening his brow. “I think I might wanna just watch, and you know, see what it's like? If that's okay with you guys.”

Bucky nodded and Steve grinned proudly at Johnny. They'd both come so far with each other in the short time, and here Johnny was acting the real part of the family Steve so desperately wanted him to feel.

“You just let us know what you're comfortable with, okay? Right now you're just comin’ as family support for Maggie. Sound good?” Steve offered.

Johnny blushed the tiniest bit, and then it was evident why. He mumbled out a shy, “Thanks, Da.”

And if Steve looked proud before, he was positively _beaming_ after that.


	42. Can't Help But Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky try out a little of that open communication in the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, though smut-heavy, actually shows some pretty important character growth. Don't let that fool you though, it is still practically all SMUT.

**Can’t Help But Love You**

Bucky came up behind Steve and wrapped his arms around his waist as he dropped a kiss onto the back of his neck. Steve couldn’t help the giant foamy grin smiling back at them in the mirror as he continued to brush his teeth. 

“Love seein’ that look on your face, baby doll,” Bucky breathed behind Steve’s ear, then gave it an affectionate tug with his teeth.

He caressed the skin of Steve’s belly, right under the hemline of his shirt and above the pajama pants he’d stolen from Bucky’s drawer. Bucky's fingers traced along the edge of the pants and Steve leaned back against him with a sigh of pleasure. When he leaned forward to rinse his mouth, Bucky’s hands gently palmed his hips. Steve pulled his shirt up, drying his face on it as he slipped it off over his head.

Bucky gripped his hips, gave them a tug backward and buried himself against Steve’s ass. He rolled his hips once, twice and then spun him around. He pulled him close as he dove in for a kiss. It was cool and minty and fresh since they’d both just gotten ready for bed. Bucky groaned into Steve’s mouth and rolled his hips against him, perking Steve’s half hard cock the rest of the way up almost instantly.

“You’re so beautiful, baby doll. Such a good daddy, too. You know that?” Bucky praised. 

Steve blushed and ducked his head into the crook of Bucky’s neck. “He called me  _ Da,  _ Buck,” he whispered as he held onto Bucky's shoulders, fingers carding through the back of his long hair.

Bucky pulled back and held Steve’s jaw tenderly. He kissed Steve, soft and loving and chaste, then ran his hands absently along Steve’s hairline. 

“Well, ‘course he did, you’re his Da. Knew he’d come around eventually. Can’t help but love you.” 

Bucky kissed Steve teasingly. He knew Steve was hungry for more of the praise he had waiting for him when Steve whined into his mouth. Steve reached down to palm at Bucky’s erection, and the simple touch drew a growl from somewhere down deep in him. The sound made the hairs on Steve’s skin stand on end in anticipation as a shiver worked its way up his spine. 

It was no accident. Steve stole a pair of Bucky’s pants and wore them without underwear, just so they’d sit low on his hips and tease him with flashes of skin that were usually covered. 

If there was one thing Steve knew about his husband, it was that he couldn’t resist seeing him wearing his clothes. It was in the way they were still just a little too big on him even though he was Captain  _ fucking  _ America. It was in the way it reminded Bucky of when they were kids and Steve was a scrawny and scrappy little shit that needed Bucky’s protection even though he fought against it all along. It never failed to bring out that feral possessiveness in Bucky that Steve couldn’t help but worship. No, it was  _ absolutely _ not an accident and it worked every goddamned time.

“Want you, Buck,” Steve begged quietly. Bucky continued sucking at the column of his throat, working his way down to his clavicle. “Need you so bad.”

Bucky popped off of Steve’s skin and met his eyes. The bright blue he loved was darkened in desire, pupils blown wide. He grinned and lightly nipped at Steve’s full bottom lip and at the same time teased his fingertips along the roundness of Steve’s ass. His touches were light and delicate, teasing in a way he knew would drive Steve crazy if he didn’t get  _ more. _

But Bucky was an asshole like that. He loved the little begging noises Steve made for him when he got like this. The anticipation and teasing was almost as good as the payoff, if you asked him.

“Tell me what you need, baby,” Bucky ordered, voice low and gravelly. 

He gripped Steve’s ass and slid his metal hand into his pants, while his warm hand gripped Steve’s chin. His thumb toyed with his bottom lip and Steve’s tongue darted out to catch it. Bucky watched as Steve worked over his thumb. As he suckled, a look of pure bliss glazed over his blue eyes.

Bucky pulled his thumb from Steve’s mouth and cocked a brow. His tongue darted out to wet his lips. Steve was so far gone already, his eyes had to work to focus enough to track the movement. Bucky moved quickly, throwing Steve over his shoulder and carried him straight to their large bed.  

Before setting him down, he traced a hand over his round cheek and gave it a  _ smack  _ through the thin worn-soft fabric to gauge Steve’s response. The little whimper he got in return went straight to his dick. He laid Steve out across the bed, eyeing him like a hungry animal. 

“Fuck Stevie, you’re so good for me,” Bucky growled as he dove in with a series of passionate kisses. 

Steve arched under his touch and his hands pushed down at the fabric of Bucky’s boxers. His legs parted and he thrusted up. He rolled his hips against Bucky and his breathing hitched when Bucky pressed back down onto him. 

“Yeah, Buck,” he whimpered and Bucky did it again, his lips curling into a smirk as he looked down at Steve. 

“You like that, huh?” he asked, punctuating the question with another grind of his pelvis.

And god, seeing Steve laid out all sweet beneath him like that was something he’d never get enough of. His little Stevie, the most loving person he’d ever met in all his life. 

It was the very same man that took on the weight of the world with the mantle of Captain America. Only Bucky knew, really  _ knew,  _ that strength had just been him being Steve all along. Hell, he’d fought poverty, illness, society and loss almost daily- and that was only his childhood. Steve had always been a fighter. Erskine saw it. Peggy saw it. Bucky was the only one left in the world who knew firsthand, and that was just fine by him. 

That was exactly why times like these were so special to Bucky. To know he was the only one Steve trusted enough to give control over to. It was what made their dynamic so unique. 

To the world, in the field, Steve was Cap. The leader. In charge.  

But Bucky was the head of their family. Steve had always wanted it that way, and Bucky promised to always be there, to catch him when he fell. That simple act of giving the control to Bucky was the most trusting, most loving thing he’d given anyone and Bucky treasured it. 

So yeah, seeing Steve laid bare beneath him, begging for his touch? How could he deny that? The answer was he couldn’t.

So he leaned down, tugged gently on Steve’s ear and kissed just beneath it as he rolled his hips down against Steve’s. He licked a stripe up from the little hollow at the base of Steve’s throat and nipped at his jawline. 

“Goddamn, baby. I love you so much,” he growled. “Gonna give you everything you want, everything you need. Just gotta tell me, okay?”

Steve met Bucky’s eyes and nodded. He blushed, ducking his head, and Bucky tipped his chin back up with a crooked finger.

“What’s that pretty blush for, huh baby?”

Steve bit his lip and grinned. Bucky knew what he wanted, but he wasn’t there yet. It was okay. Steve sometimes had a hard time asking for what he wanted in bed, but Bucky knew him better than anyone.

“You want me to suck you, sweetheart?” Bucky purred through kisses and Steve’s breath hitched. 

_ Bingo. _

“You wanna come in my mouth? Give me all a’you, watch me take it?” Bucky teased down Steve’s torso as he pushed the pajama pants off of Steve.  

“Yeah,” Steve whispered and Bucky’s chest filled with pride. He knew his Stevie so well. “Yeah, Buck. I want that-  _ Oh!”  _ he cried when Bucky took him deep into his hot mouth.

Bucky licked up his length and wrapped his hand around his base. He teased with his tongue, flicking at and just under the tip, then followed a prominent vein down and back up. He looked up at Steve before swallowing him deep again, humming deep in his throat. Steve’s hips canted up off the bed and Bucky did his level best to swallow down instead of gag when he pushed at the back of his throat. 

Steve’s hands came to rest on the sides of his head. He followed along the bobbing motions Bucky made and played lightly with his long hair. Bucky was happy with the responses he was getting from Steve, but he also wanted to push him a bit harder. That’s what he needed in times like this. He needed Bucky to help him blur that line. Make him lose control.

Bucky let go of Steve with an audible wet  _ ‘pop’ _ and grinned up at him. When Steve looked down, he focused on Bucky and watched with a confused whimper. Bucky got off the bed and knelt on the floor, pulling Steve by the hand. 

“C’mere baby doll,” he begged Steve. 

With Steve standing and Bucky on his knees, Steve’s hands quickly found Bucky’s hair again. Bucky grinned up at him, licking and kissing at his cock. 

“There ya go. Fuck my mouth, baby. I know you wanna.”

The hold Steve had on Bucky’s hair tightened and he pulled him deep, the head of his cock breaching Bucky’s throat. He held him there a moment as Bucky’s throat worked to swallow the intrusion. He moved him up and down, every few strokes pulling him deeper and they found a rhythm. 

Steve was groaning and cursing quietly as he fucked Bucky’s mouth. Bucky couldn’t believe it, he’d actually gotten Steve to _ take  _ what he wanted and it was exhilarating. Bucky squeezed the muscle of Steve’s ass and pulled him in with each pass. His eyes were watering and he’d gagged more times than he could count but he was so proud. His hands came down to work over Steve’s balls, and he felt them drawing up. He knew Steve was close, and the closer he got the more controlling he was with Bucky’s mouth. 

Steve pulled Bucky off of him and grabbed the hair above his forehead, tipping his head up so he could meet his eyes. There was a wild look in them and Bucky’s own cock twitched at the sight. And god, he  _ wanted.  _

“Fuck, Stevie. You gonna give it to me?” he begged. 

And that was new. Usually it was the other way around. Bucky would tease until he had Steve begging, but this? This was  _ good. _ So fucking good. 

“Yeah Buck, I’m gonna come down your throat. Want you to take all of it.”

He pulled Bucky’s mouth back down and Bucky honest-to-god begged for it. He moaned every time Steve entered his throat, the sound cut off by the obstruction. He looked up, desperately meeting those bright blue eyes and reveling in the power and control in Steve’s expression.

Steve tugged his hair harder, pulling him where and how he wanted. Bucky couldn’t help it, he had to touch more. His hands roamed up the flat of Steve’s belly, higher to his ribs and he found his nipples, tight and pert. He rolled them between his thumb and fingers, lightly at first. When he heard Steve’s sharp intake of breath, he squeezed harder and at the same time he hollowed his cheeks. 

After just one, then two more passes, Steve grunted. He called out Bucky’s name along with some unintelligible curses as he came down Bucky’s throat. Hot, salty jets of come coated his mouth. He swallowed and Steve pushed past his mouth, nudging the back of his throat again and  _ holding  _ him there through the end.

Bucky swallowed around Steve’s cock and hummed in approval, sucking every drop from him until Steve pushed him off in oversensitivity. He slumped forward, holding onto Bucky’s shoulders as Bucky kissed above his pelvis, burying his face in the soft skin there. 

“Goddamn, baby doll. That was so fucking good,” he breathed against Steve’s abdomen. 

He stood and pulled Steve into a warm hug, holding him through the aftershocks of his orgasm. When Bucky laid Steve back out on the bed and kissed deep, he whimpered out his name, tasting himself on Bucky’s tongue. 

“Did you like that Stevie? Huh?” he demanded, doing his best to get a verbal response from Steve. He grinned, loving the blissed out smile spread across his lips.

“Yeah, so good.” Their eyes met and Steve pulled Bucky down again by the hair, this time to his lips. “Want more, please Buck,” he begged, eyes meeting Bucky’s directly. 

_ Aw, there’s my Stevie.       _

“More what, baby?”

_ “Fuck me, _ Buck. I want you to fuck me.”

It was shaping up to be a  _ real good _ night of communication in the Rogers-Barnes home.


	43. It's Alarming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny experiences his first Assemble Alarm. Then he discovers something truly alarming.

**It’s Alarming**

Maggie woke a little after three in the morning to a red flashing light and low pitched alarm. She sat up and rubbed her eyes with her fists, throwing her covers off just as Steve came into her room. 

“Up you go, Sweetheart,” he spoke quietly and pulled her robe down for her.

Johnny stumbled out of his room, looking twice as tired. Steve guided him back into his room and gently reminded him to grab a shirt.

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he returned and pulled a shirt over his head.

Bucky was in the living room at the wall safe, sliding the last of his pointy things into the various hidey-holes in his tac vest. He slung his bag over his shoulder and slid the door of the safe shut with an audible click, looking to the kids with a reassuring smile. 

Steve had one hand to his earpiece and the other on Maggie’s back as he ushered them all out to the elevator. Once they were all in, she leaned into his side, half asleep still. Tired, so tired.

“Does this happen a lot?” Johnny asked quietly to Bucky, since Steve was still receiving a report from Hill.

Bucky shrugged a shoulder. “Depends. Sometimes you’ll have to go to the basement, and others, there’s no threat here so it’s business as usual.”

Bucky looked over to Steve and he nodded back, a calmer look crossed his features. He was obviously still on alert, however his shoulders visibly relaxed. He wrapped his arm around Maggie and pressed a kiss into her hair.

“You two can go back to bed. We’ll have Happy take you to school in the morning.”

Maggie looked up at him. “Where’re you guys goin’, Da?”

He looked at Bucky directly before responding, and Bucky nodded in understanding. It was another silent conversation, clearly picking up on something they’d already discussed. 

“We’re headed to Siberia, Sweetheart. Hopefully won’t take too long, but you guys are safe here.”

Johnny tried to keep up, still unfamiliar with the whole process. He looked to Bucky again, confusion in his sleepy eyes.

Bucky gave him a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder. “Just gotta tie up some loose ends Hydra left open.”

Internally, Bucky’s stomach was in knots. It had been decades since he was the Asset, but going back to one of the places he was held and tortured wasn't something he was looking forward to. Even so, the silver lining of  _ eliminating  _ another of those places was still a positive result. He tried to focus on that. Didn’t want to worry the kids, is all it was.

Maggie knew better, though. She’d seen her Pop when it was “just a few loose ends” before. He didn’t always come back himself, and it took a while to get things settled down afterward. It wasn’t an easy process on anyone.

The doors opened and Steve exited first. Maggie nodded for Johnny to go and gave Bucky a look. He pulled her aside once they were out and wrapped his arms around her carefully, considering what he was wearing. “It’s gonna be okay, I promise.”

Maggie sighed. “I know, I just that hate you have to go through this. I love you, Pop.”

He held her face gently and looked down at her, trying to hide the sadness behind his eyes. He lovingly pushed a lock of bed head behind her ear and kissed her forehead. “Love you so much, Squirt,” he spoke softly. “We’ll be home soon as we can, okay?”

Maggie nodded and hugged him again. Steve and Johnny came over just as they parted. 

“Whole team’s on this one, okay Sweetheart? Shouldn’t take more than a few days, but I’ll call you tonight. If you need anything, you let Maria know. Don’t forget Pepper can be here in a few hours too, okay?” Steve was mother-henning. He did that when he was nervous about leaving her alone.   

“And Happy’s only twenty minutes away. And Peter and May are just in Queens. Don’t forget we’ve got each other, too,” Maggie teased, pulling Johnny next to her and wrapping her arms around his waist. “We’ll be fine, Da.”

Steve and Bucky watched as Johnny stood tall and his chest puffed out in pride. He wrapped an arm around Maggie’s shoulders and squeezed back. 

“We’ll take care of each other, don’t worry,” Johnny assured their parents.   

Maggie and Johnny waved the team off as Clint piloted the QuinJet off the landing pad. When the doors closed and the lights dimmed, Maggie turned to Johnny, slumping against his chest. 

“This sucks,” she muttered.

His big arms wrapped around her more securely and he hugged her. He was feeling very protective and didn’t want to worry her, so he tried for humor. “Which part?”

She snorted a laugh against him before she pulled back and nodded toward the elevator. “I dunno if I’ll be able to go back to sleep. You?”

“Nope. Not that I’m not  _ tired... _ Just don’t think I’ll be able to settle in.”

“What finals do you have today?” Maggie asked as they trudged back into the living room.

“Uhm… I have Spanish and History. What do you have?”

“Calculus and Poly Sci. Wanna study?”

Johnny shrugged. “Sure. Couldn’t hurt, I guess. I kinda suck at Spanish.”

“Aww.  _ Tienes suerte de que soy el mejor, _ Johnny,” Maggie joked, stopping to look at him. He was facing the couch but Maggie reasoned it was too early for that crap. “Grab your books and come in my room. My brain works but by body’s not awake.”

Johnny did as he was told and when he entered Maggie’s room, he saw her curled up in bed again, off to one side. “You sure you don’t wanna go back to sleep?” he blushed, feeling like he was intruding. She just looked so small and comfy and adorable was all.

“Nope, just cold. Come on,” she tipped up the pillow on the other side of the bed and patted the mattress. “Lots’a room. Pop and I fit all the time.”

Johnny hesitated for a moment, shifting his weight on his feet. He could do this, right? They were family now. Shouldn’t be weird.

And it wouldn’t be weird, if Johnny could only flip the nonexistent switch that would make his crush on Maggie disappear. Before the whole,  _ ‘hey you’re a clone of that beautiful girl’s father’ _ bullshit, it was a perfectly normal thing, being attracted to Maggie. He knew it was wrong, now, or improper at least. 

“You okay Johnny?” Maggie asked, pulling him out of his own head. 

His eyes shot to hers and a light blush bloomed on his cheeks. “Uhm, yeah. I’m good.” 

He climbed in next to her and sat with his back against the headboard. Maggie looked perfectly comfortable and relaxed with him being so close and he supposed he could settle in too, make it work. He opened his Spanish textbook on his lap and flipped to the notes pages he had tucked inside. 

“We’ve gone through most of the basics, and now I have to be able to say things in sentences. And ask questions, I guess?” Johnny began. 

Maggie reached over and slid the book off his lap, reading the notes. She nodded. After flipping through the rest of the notes, she held the book against her chest and looked up at Johnny. 

“I’ll say something, then you repeat it to me in Spanish, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Good. My name is Johnny and I am fourteen years old.”

Johnny grinned. He didn’t suck  _ that bad, _ Maggie. He could do this one.

_ “Mi nombre es Johnny y tengo catorce años.” _

“Okay, so you don’t suck  _ that bad” _ Maggie laughed. “How about, ‘What is the best thing to eat here?’”

_ “¿Qué es el bueno para comer aquí?” _

Maggie snorted a giggle and Johnny reached over to push at her shoulder playfully. “I’m sorry,” she laughed. “I can do this… Uhm, its  _ lo mejor,  _ not  _ el bueno, _ but you were close.”

“Okay.  _ ¿Qué es lo mejor para comer aquí?” _

“Perfect.” Maggie opened the book again and flipped to another chapter. “Can you please give me directions, sir?”

Johnny straightened up. “I know this one.  _ ¿Puede darme indicaciones, señor?” _

“That’s good!” she praised through a yawn, patting him on his thigh. “I always had trouble with that word.  _ Indicaciones.  _ Didn’t make sense to me. Sounds more like something clinical than a direction.”

“Kinda sounds like indications to me. Like a way to do something. That’s how I remember it, I guess,” he answered with a self-deprecating shrug.

Maggie paused and looked up at Johnny. Her bright blue eyes narrowed and she studied him for a moment before her expression changed, like she decided something.

“What?” He asked quietly, feeling all wiggly inside under her gaze. He felt his heart rate sped up and he willed his body to just be freaking normal for once in his life.

“You’re really smart, Johnny. I’m sure you know that but, sometimes I feel like you’re trying to hold something back.”

Johnny’s eyes widened and a blush rose to his cheeks.  _ Again.  _ He shifted a little, cracking his neck and rubbed his palms on his pants nervously.

“What’s got you all nervous?” she pressed. “You can talk to me.” 

She reached out to squeeze his thigh again and he covered her small hand, holding it for a moment. He sat silently for a moment, trying to decide if there was something he could say to help her understand, and wondered what that would even do.

_ Come on, talk to me. We’re family. _

And holy shit- did he just  _ hear _ Maggie? He didn’t feel anything when it happened, not like she had described. Maybe she was putting her thoughts onto him, then?

We’re family. She was right, they were family. He snatched his hand back off of hers like he’d been burned and popped up off her bed. She sat up, startled at the abrupt movement. 

“Johnny- what happened? Are- are you okay?”

She must not know it happened then, he reasoned. 

“Yeah- I uhm… Fine. I’m fine. I’m gonna get some... sleep? Yeah.” He spun on his heel and rushed out of Maggie’s room, leaving his textbooks behind, strung across Maggie’s bed.


	44. The Space Between Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie and Peter and time alone-ish. What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Mild dubious consent due to the complexities surrounding Maggie's mutation. Her telepathy is developing more and there's no real sense of control of them quite yet. Just wanted to give y'all a heads up if that sort of thing bothers you.

**The Space Between Us**

Maggie wanted to go to Johnny. She thought about maybe bugging him to talk, but in the end decided to give him his space. She considered the possibility that she’d said or done something to upset him, but couldn’t for the life of her figure out what that may have been.  

What she did know, though, was that _something_ was bothering him. She hated the fact that he felt uneasy at home. Even worse, she was almost positive the thing that was making him feel uneasy was was none other than her own damned self.

She needed to talk so she decided to text Peter, hoping he was up. It wasn’t more than a few minutes before she got a response.

 **Maggie:** U awake?

 **Peter:** Yeah- studying Calc

 **Peter:** What r u doin up already?

 **Maggie:** Assemble alarm- whole team had to go on a mission

 **Peter:** U ok?

 **Peter:** I can come over

 **Maggie:** Its ok there’s no threat here

 **Maggie:** They’re goin 2 SIBERIA

 **Peter:** Well at least they’re staying close by LOL

 **Maggie:** LOL yeah

 **Maggie:** I need to hear your voice

Maggie rolled over to her back and extended her legs up her headboard like a little weirdo, waiting hopefully for Peter to reply. As if on cue, her phone began to vibrate and a photo of Peter making a silly face lit up the screen.

“Hey you,” she answered, trying to sound upbeat.

“Hey. You sure you’re okay, baby?” Peter asked softly.

He picked up on the false cheer in her voice immediately. Maggie’s stomach did that little flip again. God, she melted when he called her that. Every. Time. She so desperately wanted him to be there with her. If only she could curl up in his arms, she’d feel better. She just knew she would.

“Just a lot goin’ on, I guess.”

“Talk to me.”

Maggie sighed. Where to begin?

“I’m worried about Pop. They’ve been on stuff like this before and it’s hard on him, the flashbacks and all…”

Peter understood. He had heard more of Bucky's history from Maggie. “How long does it usually take him to… Work through it?” 

“Last time was a few days. He just got real quiet and Da had to make sure he’d eat and stuff.” She sighed again. “He’ll be okay, I just worry.”

“What about you, though? I get the feelin’ something's goin’ on with you, too.”

“Uhm, that’s what I need to talk to you about,” Maggie hesitated, her voice quiet and a little shaky. She felt tears prickling the edges of her vision.

“What is it?” Peter pressed, sounding worried now. “Baby, whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”

Peter’s voice was low and calming. Her heart warmed and she felt her cheeks flush- which was kind of silly since she was in her room alone, but _whatever._

She loved him so much.   

She could do this.

“You know the dreams I’ve been having?” she began quietly. “When I was really worried about Johnny- and then we all found out about his mom and- well, you know…”

“Yeah?”

“It’s been getting worse. It happens more after we uhm,” she cleared her throat nervously. “So anyway, I talked to Wanda and she’s pretty sure I have a mutation.”

Peter was silent for a moment, processing what Maggie said. It was a little difficult, considering she blurted everything all out at the end.

“Mutation? But that doesn't make sense… Didn't this like, just start happening?”

Maggie nodded, to who, she wasn't sure. She explained what Wanda theorized with her genetics and it throwing the natural timeline off.

“What aren't you saying though? I can tell there's more. You said it happens more after something.”

“I-” Maggie shuddered a breath, unsure how Peter would respond when she told him the rest.

Wanda was sworn to secrecy, but technically it was Peter's business just as much as it was her own. A bubble of anxiety grew in her chest. What if he got upset for discussing something intimate and private about him too?

“Hey, stop thinkin’ so loud and just tell me, baby,” he said softly, complete patience in his tone. “Just take a breath and let it out, okay? You can tell me anything.”

He was right. They had always been completely open with each other since that first night their families first met.

“I'm having another vision. And it keeps getting stronger every time after we… After we’re _together?”_

The inflection on the last word wasn't missed. Peter wasn't dumb. But he _was_ a fellow nerd, so there was that.

“Hmm… How does that relate?” he asked, brain immediately dissecting it in order to understand. It wasn’t exactly the most comforting response but after a moment, he put everything together and realized the vision must have been what had her so anxious lately. That was more important than the ins and outs of how.

"This vision, its bad, isn't it.” It wasn’t a question. He could tell it was bad. “Tell me what happens?”

“Someone’s gonna take me,” she told him, voice small.

Maggie heard an intake of breath and then Peter was silent for a moment. Internally he was seething. If anyone hurt Maggie- he didn’t think he’d be able to control his reaction, nor would he _want_ to in that case.

“I don’t want you to be alone,” was his first response, tone decisive, authoritative. “Anywhere, okay? I’ll tell May I need to be there with you until your parents get home.”

The protective response from Peter was comforting, but Maggie was being stubborn. She couldn’t help it, it was in her blood.

“But I’m not alone.”

He huffed a sarcastic laugh. She really could be a little pain in the ass sometimes. “Yeah, but Johnny's your _little_ brother. Susie and Reed already went back to London. Aren’t _you_ supposed to be taking care of _him_ _?”_

“We should be okay,” Maggie answered with a shrug, no real commitment to the fight in her voice.

Truth be told, she really needed Peter. She wanted to _feel_ someone close to her. The dreams weren’t getting any better and now there was this extra component of weirdness between her and Johnny.

“I mean, if May’s okay with it, I’m sure you could take the sofa in Da’s studio?”

Peter recognized the wide open invitation from Maggie and jumped right on it.

“I’ll pack my things now, okay? I can be there in time to ride into school with you guys.”

Tears began to fall and Maggie did her level best to mask the sound. “O-okay… Thank you.”

“You never have to thank me, baby. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

***

Maggie took a quick shower and was dressed by the time Peter got to the Tower. There was a knock at the door and she put down the knife she was using to make lunch for herself and Johnny.

“Peter,” she sighed in relief and fell into his waiting arms. She nuzzled against his neck, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

He ran his hands gently through her hair and kissed her forehead before cupping her cheeks and pressing a kiss to her lips. She kissed back, desperate for more of the comfort she felt in his arms. Things began heating up and he pulled back as Maggie made a tiny whining sound.

“Wow,” He panted against her lips. “It’s okay baby, I’m here. Not gonna let anyone hurt you, okay?”

Maggie shuddered a breath and nodded. When she first saw Peter she was overcome with emotion, with _need._ She stepped back and he followed her through the foyer after closing the door behind them. He could tell she was holding something back- actively trying her damndest to be normal, whatever that was.

“I’m making lunch for me and Johnny. Want some?” Maggie asked quietly.

Peter nodded. “Yeah, that would be great.”

He followed her into the kitchen and sat at the island while she moved about in the low lighting, finishing up with the food. There was a static silence hanging between them that wasn’t there moments before. It came over abruptly and heightened Peter’s senses. When Maggie finished, he pulled her into a hug again, hoping to comfort her.

“Wanna show me to my suite?” he asked teasingly, trying to break the silence with levity.

She turned her face up and he saw a longing and desire in her eyes he had only seen a few times before. The usual bright blue of her irises was darkened, and they sparkled deep like sapphires. On top of that, the way she looked at him so full of need, it hit him like a punch to the gut. Something strange was happening between them. He was vaguely aware but paid it no mind, the shift in him too great to think twice. A feral protectiveness came over him and he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss right in the middle of the kitchen.

Maggie kissed back and her hands were all over him. Her nails scratched lightly against his scalp and she tugged his hair, making every nerve ending come alive. Peter moaned into her mouth and pulled her against his body by her hips, squeezing possessively. One arm wrapped around her back, the other hand slid lower, possessively grabbing a handful of her rear end. He pressed forward with his pelvis, grinding against her and she whimpered into his mouth.

The desperation in her kiss spurred him on. He wanted to taste every inch of her and never stop- but in the back of his mind he knew he had to. The most difficult struggles always came when he was this close to her, and common sense won out again.

“Wait- wait, Maggie,” he growled, voice thick and deep with desire. “I'm sorry, we can’t do this.” He sighed quietly against her mouth then kissed her again, softer that time. His struggle made itself known plain as day even as the tenderness he kissed her with warmed her heart.

She held him tightly, burying her face into his neck. “You’re right. I’m sorry too,” she breathed, panting against his skin.

The desire and protectiveness she felt radiating from Peter was overpowering, but in the best way possible. It was different that time. Rather than the warm reassurance she usually felt from him, it was more insistent, a more primal instinct. But he obviously had control of himself, and Maggie would have to learn how to do the same if she was going to get through long enough to see Dr. McCoy and figure out the process of her mutation.

_Down, girl._

***

She led him by the hand down the hall toward the far corner of the apartment where Steve’s studio was so he could put his things away. When they entered, Peter took in the space. Canvases covered the walls, some stretching from the hardwood floor to the high ceilings. There was a roll of canvas along the floor on one side, and they carefully avoided it, paint still drying from an abstract project. Jars and brushes and paints littered the space in a controlled chaos.

“Wow, this is cool,” Peter grinned.

It was a welcome distraction from the near-constant buzzing hyper-awareness he had of every inch of Maggie’s skin. It was like every inch he'd been lucky enough to commit to memory, every curve he'd run his hands over in their time together was calling out to him. The light scent of her shampoo was overpowering his heightened senses, intoxicating him with each breath. He watched as she moved over to the sofa, arranging the extra throw pillows and Peter’s eyes followed the movement of her body, her grace bordering feline.

She turned to him and froze. The way their eyes met said everything. An unspoken agreement passed between them and they came together in the middle of the room. Fingers ran through hair. Hands tugged at clothes. Soft gasps and breathy moans filled the room as their lips worshipped each other’s skin.

“Maggie… Your eyes, they're changing,” he breathed against her mouth. He pulled back to look at her again and felt as though he might drown in his desire for her. His love was limitless. “You’re so damn beautiful, baby,” Peter whispered.

She whimpered, desperate and needy. “Peter, I need you so bad. I want this. _Please.”_

The force of the desire running through Maggie pushed out any sense of reason, any higher thought. She felt trapped in her body, caught in a vise. It pulled,squeezed her tightly, to the point where she physically couldn't take it any longer. She was intrinsically drawn to Peter, and desperate for the freedom she knew was just on the other side of their intimacy. The still rational side of her knew they should cool down a bit, but even if she wanted to stop - at that point, for her - she couldn’t.

Peter, on the other hand, was so far gone that he didn’t see anything outside of his singular desire to have Maggie. He needed her, physically, emotionally, _intimately_. She was intoxicating, a drug filling his senses. He lived to give her whatever she asked, meet her every need, her every desire. The control she had over him with a simple touch was absolute, and he gave that control over willingly.

They held onto each other, clumsily pawing at skin and nipping at lips in their intensity. Peter kicked the door closed with his foot and turned to press her up against the back of it as he turned the lock into place. He ground his arousal against her body and slid a knee between her legs, spreading them apart as he shed his shirt. Maggie’s hips moved sinuously, and the friction she found against his thigh brought about more sweet moans and whimpers from her lips.

Peter pushed Maggie’s shirt up over her head and his lips locked onto her skin, tongue tracing along the edge of her bra. Her shirt was stuck behind her, still on her arms when he brought it down behind her, effectively pinning her arms to her sides. Her hands reached just far enough to grab him by the hair and bring him back between her breasts where she really wanted him. And if her power over him wasn’t enough, the pulling sensation of his hair in her hands was the final straw.

He squeezed her breasts together deliberately and kissed them before becoming impatient with her bra. When he removed it, he suckled at her nipples and she whimpered, rocking down onto his thigh again. Their movements were deliberate and sure; moving on instinct as they let their bodies lead.

Maggie’s hands went straight for Peter’s belt, unbuckling it swiftly. She tugged at his button and then the zipper of his jeans, and Peter rolled his hips against her again, chasing her touch. His tongue claimed her mouth, hot and demanding, curling against her own.

He nipped at her full bottom lip and she arched her back. The hot, soft skin of her bare breasts burned against his chest. She was flushed and pinked and oh so delicious. He picked her up and carried her over the sofa, falling on top of her, his body grinding down insistently from above her.

 _“Peter,”_ she begged, pulling at his zipper again and shoving his jeans and boxers down.

 _“Jesus, Maggie._ Are you sure?” he ground out between deep, searing kisses.

Though he was caught in her spell, he fought to make sure this was what she really wanted. He loved her, more than anything. She was the moon and he was her ocean, his tides rising and falling, following wherever she went. In his entire young life, he had never known a love like he felt for her. It filled his lungs with each breath, pulsed with every beat of his pounding heart.

“Please, _oh my god-_ I need you. Make love to me, Peter,” she begged.

He didn’t want to argue, even if he could. His brain had taken a semi-permanent backseat vacation to Maggie’s body, and the control she had over him was complete. He reveled in it, giving in freely. His hands reached her waist and he grabbed hold of her leggings and underwear at the same time. They slid easily down her hips and she lifted her pelvis so he could pull them the rest of the way off. He sat back and took her in, committing every inch of beautiful flushed skin to memory. Her arousal was evident as it glistened near her entrance.

Peter ran his hands up her legs, reveling in the heat of her skin and the softness of it as he caressed higher to between her thighs. Her body was perfection. He ran his fingers through her folds softly and her hips canted up off the sofa, chasing him for more.

Maggie reached for him and pulled him down. She intertwined her fingers with his own and kissed him languid and slow, their bodies settling in and coming to terms with what they were about to do. She looked lovingly through dark sapphire eyes. Her left hand moved to stroke the angle of his jaw while her right hand reached down between them to palm his length.

He groaned as a surge of heat shot through him from her touch and he dove back into her waiting mouth, this time with passion and insistence. He felt a delicious heat licking up his spine. His body tingled with it, the feeling heady and strong. When they separated just enough to catch her breath, Maggie panted against his lips.

 _“Please…_ Peter- I'm ready. I need you.”

He couldn't tear his eyes away from hers and the air left his lungs like a punch to the gut when he felt her hand guide his erection to her entrance. She rolled her hips up against him and he realized they were on the precipice of something permanent.

Peter's brow furrowed in pleasure as the head of his erection moved against the exquisite wet heat of Maggie's body. He felt the resistance at her entrance and she let out the softest moan as her breath hitched in her throat. Their eyes remained locked onto each other and Maggie nodded. Her brow furrowed and a begging expression crossed over her beautiful features.

Peter knew exactly what she needed. At that point every ounce of his hesitation was gone. He pressed forward confidently, nudging into the tight heat of her body and she cried out in pleasure and in pain from experiencing the intrusion for the first time. He swiftly covered her mouth with his own and swallowed those first sweet sounds greedily.

Maggie's fingers dug into Peter's back, gripping the muscle there in desperation. “Oh my god, _Peter,”_ she whimpered. And that sound on her lips, the way she said his name- it was something he’d always cherish.

“Jesus, Maggie. You feel _so good,”_ he groaned against her neck and tried to slow his movements so he didn’t hurt her.

He met her eyes again and saw they were darkened even further, thick like the night sky and sparkling twice as much. Tears gathered in the corners and he kissed them away tenderly.

“I love you, baby,” he repeated over and over as he moved, continuing to press forward, deeper, sheathing himself within her body. “I love you, I love you.”

Once he was fully within her, his body shuddered and a new clarity rose. He realized he was right where he belonged. There, as one with Maggie, then and always. For as long as she'd have him, which he hoped was for the rest of their lives.

Maggie’s breathing came harshly as the heat of the initial pain she felt subsided and turned to pleasure. A blinding desire grew within her core. She needed more and begged Peter desperately for it.

Peter gave her everything she wanted, everything she demanded. She soon found herself keeping a rhythm with him and each nerve ending in her body lit up. Her hands searched for purchase on his body, nails raking down his back as she was desperately clinging to his low back with each thrust.

When she cried out Peter's name sharply as her orgasm overtook her body, he covered her mouth with his, trying to keep her quiet. At the same time, his chest filled with pride, knowing he was responsible for bringing Maggie that pleasure. He shuddered as the heat of her body clamped down on him, again and again.

The dizzying effects of so many new sensations overwhelmed his senses and he feared it would all be over embarrassingly soon. Peter shut his eyes tight, doing his level best to focus and willing his body to calm down. He felt Maggie's small hands on his jaw and he opened his eyes back up. He was caught in her dark stare like a moth to a flame, unable to turn away. Complete and total desire flooded his body.

_Peter, let go for me._

He wasn't sure if she'd said anything out loud or not, but knew it was definitely _her_ he heard in his mind. He felt it physically, the demand reverberating throughout his body, and he willingly obeyed her. His snapped his hips forward, thrusting harder against her body, and pulling more desperate noises from her lips. He bit against the column of her throat and sucked against the hot skin, marking her and not giving a damn who would see later.

The friction and movement, the sharpness in his kiss against her skin, along with hearing the low, feral moans from Peter caused heat pool deep and low in her belly. Their lips met and their tongues danced between them, tasting and suckling against each other. Maggie felt the pleasure radiating off of Peter’s skin and it intensified her own.

His hands drifted to her breasts, and his mouth followed along, teasing and nipping at her sensitive peaks. He sucked marks into the flesh of her breasts as his hand clamped down on her hip. In no time, her body clenched around him in a second and much stronger release. The reaction made him thrust into her wildly and without rhythm, again, again and again.

“Oh god, _Maggie!”_ Peter all but growled in desperation as he went rigid against her, coming deep inside her.

That deep, pulsing heat intensified Maggie's own release and her body shuddered. She clung to him desperately and tears burned hot behind her eyelids, matching the heat of her body. She didn't even try to stop them from flowing that time as she looked up at Peter with nothing but pure love and adoration, shaking in the aftermath of their pleasure.

They kissed softer, resting their foreheads against each other, their breath panting as they breathed the same air. Peter rested on his forearms and ran his fingers through Maggie's hair. As he did so, she turned her head to the side to kiss his palm. The simple gesture touched his heart and his own eyes clouded over in awe.

He was so incredibly in love with her.

Peter gently slipped out of Maggie's body as he softened, and she shivered in the cool morning air with the loss of his heat. He rolled to his side, then they re-settled as he pulled her naked form on top of his body. She easily tucked her head against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. Maggie reached up behind her to tug the blanket off the back of the couch and she wrapped it around them.

As they laid there listening to the sounds of their own breathing slowing, the sun decided to take that opportunity to rise up over the Manhattan skyline. A warm light illuminated the room, the canvases surrounded them in a world of colorful beauty.

“Wow,” Maggie breathed, staring out the giant plate-glass windows. “The sunrise is so pretty from in here.”

Peter reached down and gently twirled a lock of Maggie's hair in his fingers. “It's nowhere near as beautiful as you.”

Maggie raised her head up off of Peter's chest and kissed along the line of his jaw.

“I love you, Peter,” she declared and kissed him again. “I love you.”

He looked down at her through an expression of pure joy and his grin quirked up on one side. “I hope so, ‘cause I'm ever lettin’ you go, baby.”

Peter's hands slid down Maggie's back and came to rest over her rear end. He arched a cocky brow and gave her a teasingly possessive squeeze and a light, affectionate smack. She giggled and kissed him soundly as they wrapped up in each other's arms once again.

After a few minutes of quiet kissing, and of Maggie’s fingers tracing patterns into the skin of Peter’s chest, she propped her chin up on her fist and looked up at him with a devious little grin. Maggie’s movement above Peter didn’t go unnoticed. His erection filled and pressed insistently against her again. That moment the mood shifted and the same lusty haze overtook Peter.

_Oh god, Peter, please!_

He heard her silent begging again and grabbed her hips in his hands, guiding her above his erection. As his hips rolled up against her, she sat up, sheathing him within her heat. Her head dropped back and a sigh left her lips.

The way she gripped his chest pushed her breasts together and one of his hands reached up to cup a breast possessively. The other kept a firm grip on her hip, guiding her, grinding her down.

The view the position afforded Peter was something else- he didn’t ever want to stop. Seeing Maggie moving so confidently above him, taking her pleasure from him like that almost pushed him over the edge. She leaned down, catching his lips in a teasing kiss that took his breath away.

Or maybe it was the way the movement of her hips changed from a slow grinding to a faster rhythm, her body bouncing above him, coming down harder against his lap. Either way, nothing else in the world mattered.

All there was, all that mattered was there with him. Above him. Surrounding him.

Maggie’s body shuddered as the heat and intoxicating pleasure Peter felt overcame her senses. She could feel him feeling her. It was the most bizarre experience. She was drowning in it and her head fell back as she rocked against his body. She reached down and grabbed his hands, sliding them her up her body so they would cup her and tease her firmly, just how she liked.

_Do it, baby. Come for me._

Peter’s expression darkened and he bucked his hips up against her. She cried out, a sharp, desperate sound and knew it was him in her mind. He bucked up against her again and her back arched in pure bliss. She felt a bright, tingly, electric sensation like every hair was standing on end. Chills wracked her skin for a brief moment before a heat flush spread throughout her body. She gave a full-bodied shiver and came so hard she saw stars, crying out Peter’s name.

Peter watched in awe as Maggie moved above him. As she took the pleasure she wanted from him, her eyes brightened, to the point of glowing. The sapphire blue was gone, all that remained was the most brilliant blue he’d ever seen. The same color as before, but piercing with an internal light.

When she came, he tumbled right over the edge after her. They both collapsed into one another, a sweaty, panting mess. They held on tight, both afraid to let go.

Once they stilled, a chilling realization came over Peter. They’d just had sex _twice_ without any protection.

Oh. My. God.

What if he got her pregnant? Was that something she would even want? Were either of them anywhere near ready for something like that? Steve and Bucky would kill him for sure, not to mention the rest of the team.

_Jesus Christ._

Maggie giggled above Peter and he jumped, realizing she probably heard those thoughts too.

“Stop thinkin’ so loud,” Maggie parroted back his earlier words and rose to move so she was laying on her side next to him.

He huffed out a nervous laugh. “You know what I was just thinkin’?”

“Mhmm.”

“And you’re not worried?” He did his best to shave the incredulity off his tone.

Maggie wrapped an arm around his middle and shrugged. Actually _shrugged,_ okay.

“I dunno how, I just _know,_ is all. It’s not gonna happen. Not right now.”

“But-” he stammered. “I shouldn’t have- we gotta… How do you know?”

Maggie looked up at Peter and caressed his jaw to ground him. “Look at me, Peter,” she urged lovingly.

When he did, the blue of her eyes did that electric glowing thing again.

“I just know. My body, it talks to me now? I dunno how else to describe it. _But trust me.”_

Trust her. Yeah, okay.

“But can you at least…” he trailed off, trying to figure out how to even ask that.

“Yes, I’ll let you know when I get my period,” she giggled. “I love you.”

He laughed with her, and kissed her lips. “I love you too. You think Wanda can show you how to stay inside your own head?”

“God, I hope so,” she giggled again. “This is gonna get annoying if not.”

Peter snorted and tickled Maggie. “You’re tellin’ me.”


	45. Parenting Never Stops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda connects unexpectedly with Maggie, which results in a call home.

**Parenting Never Stops**

A few hours into the flight, Wanda stiffened. Of course, Steven Grant  _ Mother Hen to Everyone _ Rogers noticed immediately and went to her.

“Everything okay?” 

She nodded, but the puzzled look didn’t leave. “I just saw something- felt a connection,” she began and met Steve’s eyes. “With Maggie.”

Bucky’s enhanced hearing was practically programmed to pick up on Maggie’s name, and he looked up when Wanda spoke. He made his way over to the end of the larger QuinJet where Steve and Wanda sat talking.

“What’s goin’ on with Maggie?” he asked softly, noting Wanda’s troubled expression.

Steve reached up and twined his fingers with Bucky’s, pulling his hand in for a kiss. Wanda was still in deep concentration so Steve spoke. “Wanda felt a connection with her. Not yet sure what that means. Said she saw something”

“Nothing bad,” Wanda began and both Super Soldiers visibly relaxed. “Just-“ she paused, then her eyes went wide and she smiled knowingly, “I think her mutation is complete.” She tried to hide it but visibly blushed. It wasn’t that she had details or anything, just flashes of the color of her eyes changing a few times- and a  _ feeling.  _

No pun intended.

“Everything is fine, but I am going to try to connect with her again.”

Wanda sat forward in concentration. Steve and Bucky met each other’s eyes and nodded, leaving Wanda alone. She sat in silence, fine wisps of red magic glowing around her.

Bucky ambled to the other end of the QuinJet and slumped down next to Natasha, Steve next to her on the other side. They leaned against Nat and she reached up affectionately and patted each of their cheeks as they rested on her shoulders.

“What’s going on with my  _ Milaya?” _

Bucky shrugged the slightest bit and Natasha made a disapproving noise.

“Wanda’s figuring it out. She said she felt a connection with her and saw  _ something.  _ She thinks her mutation is complete now,” Bucky grumbled. 

“I don’t like that happening while we’re gone. It’s like missing her first steps or somethin’,” Steve agreed with Bucky’s grousing tone.

Natasha laughed softly. “Listen to you two. She’s sixteen, not a baby.”

“She’s  _ our _ baby,” they both grumbled in stereo and Natasha couldn’t help but snort a louder laugh at their expense.

“Then let’s get the mission done and get the hell home, huh?” Natasha soothed. She lovingly shook her head in exasperation at the two big cry-babies on her shoulders. Just then, Wanda came over and sat on the floor cross-legged in front of the three.

“Well?” Steve asked impatiently.

Wanda took a breath. She gave Maggie her confidence, which was something she’d never taken lightly. She had to say what she found delicately, but honestly.

“Maggie is fine. I had flashes of her changing and then a very strong feeling from her. I believe it is complete, however we should still talk to Hank.”

Natasha squeezed each of their knees with her hands. “What did you see?” she asked before Bucky or Steve could demand more answers.

“It was more a vision of her face- the color of her eyes changing,” Wanda shrugged. “They turned dark, then almost black, and now when she accesses her telepathy, they have a bright glow from within.”

“So people will know when she- uh,  _ uses  _ her power?” Bucky asked. 

If there was one thing that was still ingrained in him from his time as a sharp-shooter in the war and then the decades as the  _ Asset, _ it was the absolute necessity to be able to blend in. The last thing he wanted was for Maggie to lose that ability, for her own protection, really. She was just now going to school without her alias and so far things had been okay. But there was also that dream she’d been having.

“What about the dream? Someone taking her?” he asked, worry lacing his tone. 

Steve’s spine straightened at the mention of it. The last thing he wanted to do was leave Maggie alone, especially while that vision was troubling her. 

Wanda looked from Bucky to Steve. “Peter is going to stay with them. She said he didn’t want her alone. He worried because of Johnny’s inexperience.”

Natasha felt both men stiffen. They had concerns over the very same thing, but he was her  _ boyfriend.  _ It wasn’t proper. Natasha internally agreed, Peter should help keep watch. She also knew just how  _ close  _ to being intimate the two teens had been. Not because Maggie had confided in her, but because she was the goddamned Black Widow and she could see these things. She could read Maggie easier than anyone. By-product of being a girl’s mother-figure and all.

“Let’s focus on the positive, shall we? Peter will be an extra set of eyes on Maggie while we’re gone. I’m sure they’re all fine,” she said lightly and patted each knee. It did nothing to relieve tension in the air.

“I’m gonna call her,” Steve decided and stood. He walked to the emptier end of the QuinJet and took the sat phone out of his chest pocket. Bucky followed him over.

“Lemme talk to the kid before you hang up, Stevie.”

Steve shot Bucky a questioning look, and Bucky raised a brow in response. Steve nodded. “Alright, okay Buck.”

_ “Hi Da.”  _

“Hey sweetheart. You guys okay?” Steve asked.

_ “Yeah. We’re with Happy, on the way to school.”  _

“Uh-huh…” he replied gently, giving her time to elaborate.

_ “Um, Peter’s gonna stay with us while you’re gone, if that’s okay... He came over before school and I told him he could stay on the sofa in your studio?” _

There is was.

_ “It’s just with the vision and all, and he didn’t want me- Or really either of us alone. Me and Johnny.” _

“Pop wants to talk to him. I’ll let him decide, okay? Otherwise he needs to go home at night.”

_ “Okay, love you Da.” _

“Love you too, Sweetheart.”

Maggie’s voice went quieter and Steve heard her give the phone to Peter.

“Hey Peter. Buck wants to talk to ya, a minute. Hang on.”

Bucky took the phone from Steve and gave him  _ The Look™. _ The one that said,  _ ‘let me do my scary thing, would ya?’  _ and Steve just grinned and nodded in agreement. And if he was enjoying it a little, who could blame him? Maggie was their little girl, after all.

_ “Hello, Mr. Barnes?”  _

“Parker.”

_ “Maggie said you wanted to speak to me?” _

“I hear you’re stayin’ in my house when we’re gone.”

_ “Uhm, yeah. I mean yes. Sir. I just thought that with the vision Maggie’s been having and all- Uhm, they shouldn’t be alone. I can watch out for them, you know?” _

“Uh-huh. And you think you’re the man for the job?” 

_ “Yes sir. I do. Johnny’s only been with you guys a short time. And I know Maggie’s strong, but I also don’t want to take any chances with her safety.” _

Bucky was adequately impressed by the kid’s ability to defend his position. He still wasn’t a fan of him staying there when he and Steve were out, although he supposed that wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. He stood quiet for a moment and breathed out loudly.

“Alright, kid. I’d prefer you stay in the LOFT. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I really don’t, not like that. I know what it’s like to be seventeen. Got it?” 

_ “O-okay. Yes, I understand. The LOFT, that’s a good idea. We didn’t think of that.” _

Peter’s voice squeaked embarrassingly when he answered that time and it took everything in Bucky to not laugh. Scary Soldier=1, Kid=0. Steve snorted in amusement when he saw Bucky’s face.

“Mhmm. Big tower, kid. Plenty of space. You just keep an eye on ‘em, okay?”

_ “Yes sir.” _

“Hey kid- Anything happens, I’m holding you personally responsible. Got it?”

_ “Oh, okay. Yes sir.”  _

“Lemme talk to Johnny.”

_ “Okay.” _

Bucky listened as Peter gave Johnny the phone. He sounded a bit surprised they wanted to talk to him, and that pulled at Bucky’s heart a little bit.

_ “Pop?” _

“Hey sport, how you doing?”

_ “Okay I guess. A little tired. We tried to study this morning but I guess I just couldn't focus.” _

“Listen, I’m sure you’ll do fine. You’ve been through a lot and we’re proud of you. You’re doing really good. Okay?”

_ “Okay, thanks Pop.” _

“You okay with Peter bein’ there? With why he’s there?”

_ “Yeah, it’s fine. As long as Maggie’s safe. That’s all that matters.” _

“You too, okay? We want you both to be safe.”

_ “We will be, I promise.” _

“I know there’s somethin’ you’re not tellin me, Johnny. How about another trip to the compound when we get back, you and me? Da can take Maggie upstate and then we’ll meet them there.”

Finally there was a little more life in Johnny’s voice.

_ “That’d be great. Thanks, Pop.” _

“Good luck on finals. We love you.”

_ “Love you guys too.” _

Bucky hung the phone up and gave it back to Steve. They shared a look and Steve nodded. He felt better about Peter being there, but he didn’t necessarily want him there when it was just the kids. Like Bucky said, he remembered being seventeen.

“Okay?” Bucky asked and Steve nodded. They were totally in sync with each other.

“Okay, Buck.”


	46. Here's AIMing at You, Hydra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team confronts chaos on their latest mission, and Mother Earth actually tries to kill them.  
> It's all a mess, and Steve is out of patience.

**Here’s AIMing at You, Hydra**

The jet touched down just outside of where the old base was reported to be. It was a stealth mission, so there would be a trek into the area. Each of the team’s regular uniforms had been replaced with camouflage gear, perfect for blending into the area’s summer tundra. Steve zipped up his overcoat and stood to address the team.

“Alright, look alive guys. We’ve just received Intel that indicates there’s an active AIM cell at the base as well.” He looked to Bruce and Tony. “I’m going to need you guys to run point on anything creepy we find.”

“Goody. Just what I like to hear,” Bruce deadpanned.

Tony cuffed him on the shoulder. “Come on Bruce, it’ll be fun. Old time’s sake and all.”

Steve shot a glance in Bucky’s direction. This setup wasn’t optimal, to say the least. An old Hydra base where Bucky had been tortured  _ and _ an AIM operation of God-knew-what at the same time weren’t his preferred method of attack, but there they were.

Bucky met Steve’s eyes and gave him a small nod, letting him know he was good. Even so, there was still that twinge of anxiety in Steve’s stomach. He hated Hydra down to his core, and Steve Rogers prided himself on never hating anyone. But for Hydra, ever since rescuing Bucky in Austria back in the war, he always made a special exception.

That sick feeling got stronger the closer they got to the base. It wasn’t that Steve was  _ scared,  _ not even close. He just knew what followed after a mission like this. Tightness formed around his mid-back that wrapped around to his gut. The familiar cold fingers creeping up the back of his neck and around his shoulders returned. And if he were honest, it was just  _ ugh. _

They would take care of it, they would win. Always did. It was going to suck, once they were back home and they had to deal with the fallout of the PTSD that was absolutely going to grip Bucky again, but they would get through that too. Mostly, he was concerned for Maggie- and Johnny. Maggie was going through these changes and needed stability. Johnny was still finding his footing at home and in his new life. That left Steve to take over, run point on everything while also making sure Bucky came through the flashbacks, the nightmares, the fear of reliving conditioning, torture. Even worse, reliving all the horrible things he was forced to do as the Asset. He wanted to make it all better and it wasn’t even there yet.

Steve rolled his neck and shrugged his shoulders, shaking the tension off of them as he and Bucky led the team to the base.

_ Focus. _

Steve felt the ground vibrating under his feet and there was a horrible smell in the air. He held his fist up, signaling the team to halt and take cover. Something was wrong.

Just then, the ground rumbled and a deafening explosion rocked the team, throwing them from their carefully footed positions. Steve crouched and covered his head and neck with the back of his arms as enormous chunks of frozen permafrost rained down around them. He felt himself moving, then stopped faster than possible and knew it was Pietro.

He looked up as smaller bits of earth fell down around them, dust raining down on them. To his right, Bucky, Wanda and Clint were huddled together under energy of glowing red with Bucky’s arm covering their heads. Wanda’s magic receded and they were littered with pieces of the groundcover, the weed-looking foliage that grew along the very surface of the ground this time of year.

Steve himself was also covered by something. It was something big and green and pissy -  Bruce - and he growled as he turned over, freeing Steve’s torso and revealing Natasha, Pietro and Sam underneath his limbs. Tony had destroyed the largest chunk of permafrost just enough so the team wouldn’t be crushed. He stood on defense, repulsors armed and ready to fire again if needed.

“Everybody alive?” Steve asked as he pulled himself to his feet. Groans and complaints of calling bullshit on the abrupt change of events rang out quietly around him and he sighed in relief.

Bruce grunted, a scowl on his face.

Natasha took a deep breath and patted his arm, “Thanks, big guy.” She turned to Bucky. “What the hell was that?”

He shook dirt out of his long hair which had unceremoniously fallen from its bun. Before he could speak, Tony interrupted with an explanation.

“Methane blast.”

Sam laughed, a hollow sound but without any hint of humor. “A methane what?”

Tony sighed loudly in annoyance. “It’s climate change, Wilson. The permafrost is melting, which destabilizes the methane trapped beneath resulting in a massive explosion and giant craters of death. Basically, the earth farts and tries to kill you.”

“That’s not funny, Tony,” Steve chided when Pietro snorted a chuckle.

Hulk smirked. “Little funny. And true.”

Tony giggled and held his metal hand up for his Science Bro to high-five. The joke was on Tony though when he flew back about ten feet from the force of Bruce’s hand.

Steve shook his head and let out a breath. Fuck his life- what a group they were. Bucky piped up next.

“Shake it off, guys. We’re not the only ones that felt that. There’s gonna be a team out here soon to assess the damage.” His eyes darkened and he nodded back in the direction they were headed.

“Right. Let’s go,” Steve ordered.

Bruce shrunk down and was covered again in his original suit. Sometimes, technology was great, Steve reasoned. At least Bruce wasn’t naked. The team halted about three hundred meters later and had to re-adjust their route when they came upon the giant newly-formed crater.

Steve and Bucky hit the ground, the other Avengers following suit. Gunshots rang out as the small group of Hydra agents spotted them. Bucky and Clint easily took out those on coms, and Natasha eliminated the others. All in all, it was a small skirmish.

Not much farther, they located the old Hydra facility. It was quiet, and looked abandoned; however Bucky  _ knew _ in his gut that it was what Hydra wanted people to think. He told Steve as much and the team prepared to enter. Steve ordered radio silence outside of all vital communication.

The super soldiers breached the doors. Bucky had his knives drawn and easily took out the first of the two guards just inside. Steve hit the second in the temple with the edge of his shield, rendering him unconscious. Bucky spun and threw a blade directly toward a corridor which found its target in a third guard’s trachea just as he entered the main space.

“Clear.”

The team advanced. When the corridor forked in two separate directions, Steve gestured for Tony and Bruce to take the one with the AIM logo. Wanda and Pietro flanked them, silently taking position. Steve and Bucky lead the other half of the team to the levels where Hydra’s operations were located.

Halfway to the freight elevator, Bucky stopped dead in his tracks. Steve checked in with him only to find his eyes darkened as dead expression settled across his features. He reached out and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. Bucky blinked and gave Steve a squeeze back to help calm him.

It warmed his heart while at the same time splitting it in half. He knew Bucky was struggling, knew this was where he’d been kept during the majority of his torture. They had finally - after so many years - found it. He could tell by the reactions his husband was having. But for him to put on the brave face? To reassure Steve while dealing with it all? It was just one of the many enormous reasons Steve loved Bucky.

They entered the elevator and slid down the metal grate. Their eyes met and they each nodded the slightest bit. At that point, Steve ceased to care about protocol. He reached out and pulled Bucky toward him by the back of his neck. Their lips met and Steve whispered his love against Bucky’s mouth. They kissed again and broke apart just as the lift came to a rough halt. Natasha reached out and gave each of their arms a squeeze.

They were a family.

Nothing could change that.

They were ready.

They entered the holding area for the other Winter Soldiers expecting an all-out blood bath but were instead met with eerie silence. They advanced further and found five cryogenic tubes lit from within. There sat five additional assets in what appeared to be complete stasis. Upon closer inspection, each had a single gunshot wound through the head.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

Steve’s first thought was that the Intel was bad, but that couldn’t be the case. It was still too quiet. Something else was happening. He raised his hand to his ear and opened coms.

“Tony, come in.”

No response.

“Tony. Do you copy?”

Natasha nodded and stowed her batons in favor of her guns. They cleared the cryostasis room and made their way back to the freight lift. On the way there was another room off the corridor and inside stood a metal monstrosity that Bucky knew all too well.

“The chair,” he muttered flatly as he froze in place.

“Buck,” Steve began, not knowing what else to say. He picked a small red book up off a table and shoved it into his utility pocket.

“It’s the last one. Last one they used on me, anyway.” He turned back to Steve and set his jaw. His lips pressed together in a thin line. Steve knew there was no changing his mind. “I’ll be right behind you.”

_ “Ya ostanus' s toboy, Yasha.” _ Natasha turned to Steve. “I’ve got him, Steve. We’ll be okay.”

Steve nodded and turned with Clint and Sam to find the others. They needed to keep this from turning into more of a shit show than it already was. The last thing he heard was metal groaning and snapping, and he knew Bucky and Natasha were destroying the chair.

Good. Fuck the chair.

They exited the freight elevator and followed the sounds of fighting down the opposite tunnel. Yellow lights flashed in the distance and an alarm sounded shortly after. Just then, the roar of the Hulk could be heard along with pitiful screams of men begin torn limb from limb.

Steve tried the coms again.

“Copy Cap, just a little busy here,” Tony quipped.

“We’re on our way. Hold your position.”

“On it.”

They rounded a curve in the tunnel where it opened into a research facility. They made haste, jumping into the fray, Steve with his shield, Clint with his arrows and Sam with his Falcon wings and guns. They fought the agents, captured the scientists and contained as much of the biological  _ stuff _ as possible.

Many of the scientists fell unconscious after coming into contact with a specific area of the facility that didn’t have adequate containment. The team deliberately avoided that area, except of course, Steve and Bruce. Their enhanced systems could take it no problem.

Once the fighting was over, Steve made his way over to an emergency panel and motioned for Tony to join him, mask still down. “It’s a big red button, Tony. Do we push it?”

Tony stilled a moment and followed the writing with his fingers. “I need someone who speaks Russian over her now. Anyone?”

Pietro recognized Tony’s impatience and appeared immediately, shirt covering his nose and mouth. “It is the emergency containment. This is what they were trying to get to,” he nodded, motioning to the unconscious scientists.  

“Ooh, I love big red buttons,” Tony grinned.

He rubbed his hands together and then pushed it.  A vacuum of air sucked the fumes from the compartments out through a large vent in the ceiling.  

Bucky and Natasha joined them just as they drug the last scientist out. Unfortunately for the Hydra agents, they just didn’t seem to make it past the fight. 

_ Pity. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact- those Methane craters caused by enormous explosions are a real thing in Siberia. Hug a tree and reduce your carbon footprint, people. Mother Earth is getting pissed at us.
> 
> Take a peek at these...
> 
> http://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/news/foreign-scientists-welcome-to-join-research-into-siberias-mysterious-giant-holes/   
> http://static.economic.bg/news/6/55659/crateryamalb1maryazulinovasiberiantimese1425917275140.jpg


	47. This Changes Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny finds out what it’s like to deal with Flash in his truest form, and the resulting trip to Mr. Morita’s office changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for sticking with me, I hope you all enjoy!

**This Changes Everything**

Johnny walked into the gym that afternoon after finishing his finals. And honestly, he thought he did pretty damn good on the Spanish test. Once he was able to concentrate and quit flashing back to being in Maggie’s bed with her, that is. Because after those thoughts, even though they weren’t technically inappropriate - like at all - there was of course, the guilt.

As much as he was conflicted about playing football considering his unfair advantage, it was one of the things he liked most about high school. So, when the previous season’s team was encouraged to show for the next year’s recruitment, Johnny went. Unfortunately that meant Flash would also be there.

The guy hadn’t necessarily bothered Johnny a lot on a personal level during the previous season. That all changed, though, once he knew what a dick he’d been to Maggie. And Peter too. But let’s be real, it was Maggie Johnny was really concerned about.

Johnny greeted his upperclassmen friends from varsity with the preferred handshake-slash-hug that they were all familiar with, but when Flash made his way over, Johnny internally cringed.

“Flash,” he nodded, giving the guy a curt handshake.

“So, living with Maggie now, huh Storm?” Flash began.

It wasn’t a secret, they just hadn’t really decided how to address the change. And honestly, Johnny didn’t feel like answering questions about his mom’s passing. That was his right, goddammit. Johnny sighed, knowing everyone around them listening was curious too, so he might as well answer the guy.

“Yeah, have been for a while.”

“Huh. So what’s someone gotta do to be adopted by the Avengers?” Flash challenged.

Ah. This was the true douchebag everyone else had experienced. Johnny wasn't in the mood for it, but he could handle this. He shrugged and answered simply, blandly.

“What do you gotta do? Be related to ‘em I guess.”

He turned to go put his things down against the wall, but the asshole followed him. Clearly they weren’t done.

“That’s not all I heard…” Flash continued, staying just a step or so behind him.

Johnny stopped. He rolled his eyes and dropped his head back in a display of annoyance.

“What do you want, Flash?”

“Just curious- how did Maggie being pregnant go over at home?”

Johnny’s brow furrowed and he spun around, turning back to face the asshole. “What? I don’t- what _the hell_ are you talking about?”

“Oh come on, I know you were there when Maggie got sick yesterday. The whole school knows about it by now. It's obvious with the way those two are all over each other." Flash’s eyes glimmered with satisfaction at seeing how irritated Johnny was becoming, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. He shrugged, continuing. “Doesn’t take a genius to figure out what the visit to the nurse was really all about.”

Johnny surged forward, closing into the bully’s space and grabbing him by his shirt. His eyes flashed angrily down at him. He yanked him closer, growling darkly through clenched teeth, “Don’t you say another fucking word about Maggie. So help me God, Thompson, it’ll be the last thing you do.”

“What’s wrong, Storm? You jealous Parker gets to hit it and you don’t?”

Johnny spun Flash around and slammed him against the wall with a thud. He grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet.

“Woah- hey-" Flash choked, eyes big and scared. He pulled at Johnny's hand and flailed against the wall. Johnny released him just enough so he could breathe, and grinned maniacally up at him.

Flash realized he was in way over his head, literally. He panicked and cried out, "Jesus, Storm! Lemme down!” causing everyone to look in their direction.

Principal Morita caught the commotion and rushed over. He yelled for them to break it up, shoving Johnny back by his chest. Johnny dropped Flash, who rubbed at his throat with his hands and choked out deep breaths.

“I dunno why you’re mad at me, I’m not the one who knocked her up!” Flash hollered in a last ditch effort to make his rumor known.

“Say one more thing!” Johnny shoved past Mr. Morita, grabbing for Flash again.

“Hey! I said it that’s _enough!”_ Mr. Morita pushed the two apart by their chests. He looked to Johnny with wide eyes and pulled his hand back quickly when he felt how hot Johnny’s body temperature was. “Both of you, my office, _now!”_

Johnny looked in horror at Mr. Morita and down to his hand. He was guarding after being practically burned by Johnny’s skin, and Johnny hadn't even realized it at the time. His eyes widened and he took a few tentative steps back, holding his hands up, palms out.

“I- I’m sorry, Mr. Morita. I just... I can’t be here right now. I gotta go,” he stammered, then took off at a dead run straight out of the gymnasium.

“Johnny!” the principal called, but it was too late.

He took off up down the hall to the applied sciences building, and up the stairwell. When he burst through the doors to the roof, he gulped breaths in frustration and anxiety. Pacing, only then did he slow down, then stopped short and leaned forward, bracing his hands against his knees.

How dare that asshole say those- those _things_ about Maggie! His sweet, beautiful Maggie! He paced back and forth, running his hands through his hair and muttering to himself in frustration.  _Fuck Flash_ and his bullshit rumors! Fuck his bullying, Maggie was _off goddamned  limits!_

When he stopped to process, what really made him most angry was that part of what Flash said _almost_ made sense. He knew how close Maggie and Peter were. They had been dating for quite some time, and yeah… they sure could be affectionate sometimes.

And they wouldn’t be the first teen couple to get themselves in that situation. Hell, his own mom had Susie when she was seventeen. It made Johnny’s stomach twist in knots just thinking about it. About Peter and Maggie like that.

No.

It couldn't be true, it was just the mutation Maggie was going through. That had to be the explanation for her getting sick. And even if it weren’t, if she was _pregnant…_ If Maggie and Peter had…

Johnny couldn’t even bring himself to finish the thought.

Not his Maggie.

It was times like these that Johnny really hated Peter. But that wasn’t fair, either. And Maggie- she wasn’t Johnny’s; not _his_ Maggie, not really.

She was his sister now. They shared blood, shared DNA. It didn’t matter how much Johnny wished they could go back to before homecoming when he was confusingly head over heels about her and the only one who knew was Susie.

No matter how much Johnny wished they could go back, it would never happen. _Could_ never happen. Not now, not with his mom being gone. Not with knowing who he really was; how he’d come to exist.

He really needed to find someone he could talk to about everything he was dealing with.

Susie knew how drawn he was to Maggie before everything changed. He would always talk about her, not even realizing it. FFinally one day Susie called him out and decided he should just admit his crush, even though it didn't quite describe how he felt. But Susie, she was busy with her life across the pond with Reed. And he didn’t want to betray Maggie’s confidence with everything she was going through by talking to Susie about it.

The only people who knew about that aspect were the rest of the family. And coming clean about his other feelings, even though he was still incapable of explaining them was sure to go over like a freaking turd in a punch bowl. After all, Maggie had been one of theirs since she was a baby. And Johnny was sure he’d get a one way ticket to Fuckoffistan if he let even a word slip about his own internal conflict to any of the Avengers.

No.

He was on his own with this. Again. Or was it still? At that point it was hard to tell. One thing he did need to do though, was go get his things from the gym and face the music with Mr. Morita.

Johnny figured there was no time like the present, so he slowly made his way back downstairs and to the gym. He stopped and sat in the hall just outside the gym doors, and waited until the information meeting was finished. When he quietly made his way back inside, he made eye contact with Mr. Morita and nodded deferentially, showing his cooperation and patiently waiting his turn.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught his big red, hand-shaped mark around Flash’s neck. He’d be lying if he said the sight of it brought him no satisfaction, because it _totally_ did.

Mr. Morita came over to him and nodded for him to follow to the office, which Johnny did obediently. Once the door was closed behind them and Johnny was seated, Mr. Morita leaned against his desk just like he had Johnny’s first day back. He sighed, and looked closely at Johnny, clearly choosing his words carefully.

“I know you’ve been through a lot, Johnny. And I know Flash can be a real asshole.”

Johnny’s eyes opened wide and his brows flew practically up to his hairline.

“I can say that now, since technically school is over and he’s no longer a student here,” he huffed a laugh at the shocked expression Johnny had. “But I need to know that whatever happened between you two won’t happen with you and anyone else.”

Johnny looked at his hands in his lap. “I promise you it won’t. It's just... That guy’s been messing with my _family_ all year. What he said today crossed the line, and I didn’t think, I just reacted. I’m sorry.”

Mr. Morita crossed his arms loosely across his chest. “What did he say?”

Johnny looked up. His bright blue eyes narrowed and he chewed on his response for a moment. Mr. Morita _did_ tell him to come to him anytime. And he _did_ know there were agents working at the school.

And it was no secret who his parents were now. Mr. Morita knew about the history of his family. In fact he had his very own family’s experience with the Howling Commandos to go by.

Maybe Johnny did have someone he could talk to.

“He said Maggie was pregnant…” he began, hesitantly.

Mr. Morita nodded, encouraging him to continue, knowing there was more.

Johnny’s brow furrowed and he figured he might as well go all in. “And he implied that I was jealous because she’s with Peter, and not me.”

“Ah. I see. And that’s what made you so angry?”

“No!" he answered defensively, and maybe a little too quickly.

"Well, yeah. I guess,” he stammered. Johnny sighed in frustration and rubbed his palms against his jeans. “Can I be honest with you, Mr. Morita? Like just between the two of us? I mean, before… you said I could come to you.”

“You can tell me anything, Johnny," Mr. Morita nodded. "I’ll tell you ahead of time though, if there’s something that puts your safety or the safety of another student at risk, I’m what’s called a mandated reporter. That means I have to report it to the authorities. Anything else is strictly confidential.”

Johnny listened attentively, and nodded, chewing on his lip. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

“Well, you know about the Avengers, and who Maggie’s parents are, right?”

Mr. Morita nodded.

“And you know they’re my parents now, too. Right?”

“I do.”

“Okay so, I’m not just Steve Rogers’ kid. I’m kinda _him,_ I guess. In a manner of speaking.”

Mr. Morita breathed out quietly. He looked stumped. “Can you clarify that a little more? I mean, you’re the spit and image of him, but...”

Johnny hesitated. He took a breath. Then the rest came out in a big blur, like massive word vomit.

“My mom was forced into being experimented on when she was in the hospital before I was born. Some batshit fuckng crazy-" he paused as Mr. Morita arched a brow at his language. "Sorry, some  _mad_ scientists had been trying to clone Captain America. They were taken down by the Avengers, but my mom had already been released and when she got my sister Susie back, she ran. Like, she totally went into hiding. Not too long after, she found out she was pregnant with me.” Johnny took a second to breathe, the plowed ahead full steam with more.

“I didn’t know until her accident, and then when she died, some men tried to take me. I- uhm… I got away and went to Maggie and her family for help.

“Tony and Bruce did a DNA test when I told ‘em what mom said. It was an exact match. Like _exact._ We’re the same, down to the cellular level except I don’t have any of his health problems like from before the serum. And I can do some other stuff, too. Things he can’t.

“But the people who tried to get me, they found Susie and took her instead to find me. I was freaking out on everyone because Susie was missing, and mom had just died. But Maggie- she was always there for me, no matter what. So were Pop and Da. Peter too, actually.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see Susie again and for a while I was a total ass to Da. He didn’t deserve it. Even when he and Aunty Nat got Susie back safe I was a total dick. Sorry, I’m trying to watch my language, here. I finally talked to Da about it, and when I apologized, he promised we’d figure it all out.

"And he was right. We’re a really close family. And we have- figured it out, I mean- pretty much...”

“But?” Mr. Morita asked, leaning in. Johnny was all over the place but he could tell he wasn’t quite there yet with really needed to say.

Johnny’s cheeks flushed and he looked down at his hands again, rubbing them against the fabric of his jeans. He swallowed hard and kept his eyes down.

“I’m afraid of being, uhm… I think- I’m kinda in love with Maggie.”

When he said it out loud, the words made him want to vomit. Thinking of it that way was just so wrong. But it was the only way he could explain it, and he couldn’t just _stop._  It wasn’t that easy; his feelings for her were more powerful than his limited experience knew how to process, or define.

Before Mr. Morita could respond, Johnny felt the need to clarify. “I’ve been drawn to her? Like before I even got to know her. I mean, it wasn’t like, _‘ooh she’s my sister now, so lemme get a piece of that’_ kind of creepy or anything. I’ve felt some connection since I first saw her.”

Johnny looked up at Mr. Morita, hoping against hope he wouldn’t see total disgust on his face. He didn’t. His expression was still open, attentive and unbiased.

“I mean it’s not like I’d ever, you know, act on it or anything. Especially not now. I mean… I don't think she ever saw me like that anyway.” Johnny snapped his mouth shut with an audible click. It was the only way to stop from digging his proverbial grave deeper.

“So let me get this straight,” Mr. Morita broke in and cleared his throat. “Maggie is your sister now, but genetically speaking, also kind of your daughter.”

And god, when he put it like that, it was so much worse. But at the same time, almost better? Worse because, eww, the creepy factor multiplied exponentially. But also better, because it helped put the intensity of his feelings in a different perspective.

Johnny didn’t know what a fatherly love would feel like. He had never even been on the receiving end of that kind of equation until recently. With Maggie, all he knew was he always felt like he was _made_ to protect her.

No.

Like he _had_ to protect her. And he had always seen her as nothing other than beautiful, which wasn’t that normal? She was beautiful, after all, and he did have eyeballs.

In his limited _almost_ fifteen years of life experience, what with all the stupid hormones and crazy growth spurts… It was possible he may have misinterpreted that connection, and the innate drive to protect her.

Misinterpreted it as a romantic love. And if it was possible, and really _fuck his life_ because apparently anything was possible; but if it was possible, that meant he wasn’t romantically in love with Maggie at all.

Johnny blinked up at Mr. Morita and breathed out a sigh of immense relief. It was like a ton of bricks had been lifted from his broad shoulders. Suddenly he didn’t feel like he was drowning in confusion and shame anymore.

“I’m not in love with her at all, am I?” he asked rhetorically. “Oh my god, Mr. Morita. It almost fucking makes sense now.”

Mr. Morita nodded thoughtfully and shrugged. “It would explain why you wanted to rip Flash to shreds earlier. I know I’d react pretty much the same way if someone said those things about my little girl.”

His little girl. That’s exactly how he looked at Maggie all curled up in her bed that morning, little and soft and adorable. Now that he actually had a name to put to it, it was crystal clear.

Johnny popped up from the chair and wrapped his big arms around Mr. Morita’s shoulders. He squeezed, maybe just a little too tight given the little squeak that came out of the man.

“Thank you! I can’t tell you how much this changes everything!”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell you how much your comments and likes are appreciated. You guys keep me going!


	48. The Fallout

**The Fallout**

Maggie climbed into the car with Peter to wait for Johnny. The customary jovial greeting Happy was used to getting from her was softer, and she sounded off. She was exhausted so she curled up in the back seat and leaned over, resting her head on Peter’s shoulder. 

Happy looked at the two of them in the mirror, and caught a glimpse of Peter kissing Maggie’s forehead as he asked her something quietly. She shook her head  _ no _ in response then snuggled closer against him. She looked like she was about to cry.

“You okay Maggie?” Happy asked, his brow furrowed with concern. 

She looked up and met his eyes in the mirror with a shrug. Her skin was paler than normal, which, being Steve’s kid was saying something.

In a small voice, she answered, “I don't feel very good… Just tired, I guess. I couldn’t go back to sleep after the alarm this morning.”

Happy nodded. He knew those types of mornings could be tough, but until then Maggie had always had her fathers’ silly-efficient resilience to interrupted sleep. It was just easier for her, what with being a product of super-soldiers and all… So this was different. Happy wished he had a better word to describe it, but he wasn’t the linguist.

They continued to wait, so Happy turned the radio up a little to drown out the silence. Not five minutes later, Maggie was asleep on Peter’s shoulder. Since Johnny was still MIA, he sent the kid a text. 

**Happy:** _You forget about us?_

 **Johnny:** _…_

 **Happy:** _Hello?_

 **Johnny:** _Sorry- I got a football thing for next season. I’ll take the train._

 **Happy:** _Ok kid._

Happy pulled away from the curb and Peter looked up from texting Ned, realizing it was just the three of them. When he looked out the window and didn’t see Johnny, his brow furrowed.

“What about Johnny?” he asked quietly, not wanting to wake Maggie. 

Happy shook his head in response. “Got a football thing he forgot to tell me about. He’ll take the train. Probably won’t be too much later than us.”

Peter nodded, the train was much faster but with Maggie’s vision, there was no way they were taking the chance. Once they were on their way, he watched the cars and people on the streets. He carefully looked for anything suspicious. That was easier said than done, though, considering it was New York City.

Peter wasn’t necessarily a fan of being split up from Johnny. Not that he was worried about him as much as he was Maggie, but after Bucky told him  _ he _ was responsible if anything happened… Well, let’s just say it wasn’t something he took lightly.

Some forty minutes later they pulled into the subterranean garage of the Tower. Happy nosed the car into the spot next to the elevators and Peter gently tousled Maggie’s hair with his fingertips. Maggie made a grumpy little sound and closed her eyes tighter, which Peter thought was adorable. In fact, if they were alone, he would have taken the time to kiss her awake with little teasing nibbles to tickle her graceful neck. 

But they weren’t alone. And Happy was turned in his seat with another one of those curious, almost worried looks on his face.

“Maggie,” Peter prodded softly. “C’mon now, we’re here.”

Maggie’s eyes fluttered open and she looked up at Happy who was still turned toward her. He sat back, surprised to see the difference in her eye color, but then he leaned in again to get a better look.

“You wearin’ contacts or somethin’?”

Maggie blushed, “No, they’ve been changing color a lot. I know, it’s kinda weird.”

Happy nodded slowly with that look on his face that said he knew Maggie wasn’t telling him everything. 

“Uh-huh.” He gave a doubtful side eye to Peter who shrugged innocently. “Just remember I’m not far. Think I’m gonna hang out here in my office for a while after I put the car away.”

Peter slid out and helped Maggie with her things since she was still a little out of it. He thanked Happy and before he was able to close the door, Happy called out to him.

“Hey- Parker.”

Peter bent down. “Yeah Happy?”

“You let me know if you need anything, yeah?” 

It wasn’t a question. Peter nodded, knowing they weren’t fooling anyone. “I will.”

Once Peter got Maggie into the elevator, Jarvis put his two cents in. 

_ ‘Are you feeling well, Miss? I am detecting fluctuations in your neural pathways. I can alert the Captain if you like.’  _ Maggie's eyes flickered an even brighter blue and she shook her head. 

“No, I'll be okay, J. I'm just really tired, but thanks.”

Peter shouldered both of their backpacks and reached for Maggie. He leaned down and kissed her, soft and chaste as his arm wrapped around her and he pulled her into his space. She leaned forward and rested her head against his chest for the brief time it took to get to their level.

She wasn't acting okay, even though she insisted she was. He knew well enough to figure out it was her mutation that was causing the changes in her eyes, but the exhaustion, the way it was so hard for her to stay awake? He wasn't convinced that was part of it. 

He scooped her up in his arms to give her a little extra reassurance and noticed her body felt a bit warm. Besides, it made him feel like he was at least doing  _ something  _ for her. He was worried, knowing their early morning  _ activities  _ had impacted her changes, too. 

Peter exited the lift toward the Rogers-Barnes home. He half waited for Maggie to giggle and tell him to stop thinking so loudly again, but that playfulness was gone. She leaned full against him and her breathing evened out, indicating she was asleep again, and that's when he actually started to  _ worry,  _ worry. 

Peter tried to wake her up again, but was met with the same little noise and scrunched up face. He leaned down and spoke in her ear. “Come on, baby. You gotta stay awake for me, okay?”

_ Nothing.  _

“Maggie? Wake up now, we're home,” he urged gently still, but a little louder and shifted her in his arms.

Peter nudged the door to the residence open with his elbow. He took Maggie directly to her room, laid her down in bed and dropped the backpacks on the floor. Maggie hadn’t moved and Peter started to panic. 

He went out to the kitchen and got a bottle of water for Maggie. If nothing else, he’d hold the cold plastic against her cheek and maybe that would help. When he came back into her room, she was just sitting up and he melted with relief.

“How are you feeling, baby?” 

“Peter?” Maggie looked up, confusion furrowing her brow. She scanned the room and saw their backpacks on the floor, then her eyes fell to her clothes. “Did we just get home?”

“You don’t remember?”

She shook her head, looking down at her hands in her lap as she cracked her knuckles. The last thing she remembered was they were at school. She had finished finals and cleaned out her locker. That was it. And now she was home, in bed, in her clothes with hers and Peter’s things on the floor. 

Tears burned hot in her eyes and her breathing quickened. She felt her hands become shaky and the way her heart pounded in her ears was overpowering.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Peter cooed, moving toward her. He sat on the bed next to Maggie and opened the water. “Here, take a sip for me.”

Take a sip, Maggie could do that. She swallowed and tried to focus on the feeling of the cold water going down her throat, but she just felt out of control. It was a foreign feeling to her. She had been scared before, had even dealt with some horrible things, like when the building was under attack and she thought Peter was… 

But he was there with her. He was safe. She was safe. Her family was-

“Oh my god, Johnny! Where is he?” she demanded, the sound of her voice reflecting her internal fears.

“He’s at school still. It’s okay, he told Happy he had a football thing.” Peter cocked his head to the side which just pissed Maggie off. 

“At  _ school? _ Peter, why would you do that?”

“Do what?”

“You said yourself, we needed to stick together. That’s why you’re here, right? And you just  _ left him.” _

Maggie knew she wasn’t being exactly fair, but she also wasn’t exactly in any position to take care of Johnny. She couldn’t even remember how the hell she got home. And Peter, he promised, he said he would take care of them. He gave Bucky his word. What if something happened?

Peter rose from the side of Maggie’s bed and stood, pacing her room. Here he was worried about Maggie, taking care of her- and now  _ he’s the asshole?  _ It made no sense. She was making no sense. 

He turned back to her, arms crossed against his chest defensively. “I was worried about you. You weren’t acting right, Maggie. How was I supposed to know Johnny wasn’t coming home with us? He didn’t tell anyone.”

Maggie rolled her eyes at Peter, which was immature, but she didn’t give two shits at the moment. “How were you supposed to know? Was he in the car when we left? That would have been your first clue!”

Peter’s jaw set in a firm line and he ran his hands through his hair. “Jesus, Maggie,” he bit back, the frustration was evident in his tone. “I’m trying to do right by you here. That’s why I came over when you needed me… I got you home and in bed safe when you were so out of it you couldn’t keep your eyes open. I mean, should I have called Dr. Cho?”

“God, Peter, no!” Maggie folded her own arms against her chest. And since she could be  _ the worst _ when it came to being stubborn, that was never a good sign. “You know I don’t want to talk about this with anyone but Wanda and Hank!”

“Well shit, at least I got  _ one thing _ right today!”

Peter grabbed his bag off the floor, turned and walked away. Luckily he had a locker in the training room. He needed to do something productive, and standing there taking Maggie’s shit wasn’t it. 


	49. Rogers Blue

**Rogers Blue**

Peter entered the elevator and pressed the button for the training level with no soft touch. He didn’t want to talk to anyone, not even Jarvis, so when the lift stopped at the lobby level he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

The doors opened and Johnny entered, looking happy as a fucking clam. “Hey Peter,” he greeted, stepping in. He saw the button lit and cocked his head at Peter. “You going to the gym? Where’s Maggie?”

Peter uncrossed his arms and ran his hands back through his hair, breathing out long and hard. So much for being alone. “She’s in her room.”

“Oh. You okay?”

“Fine.”

Johnny furrowed his brow. He’d seen Peter annoyed before, and this was just like that but on steroids, okay.

They got to the training level and Peter walked out without another word. He didn’t mean to be an ass, _per se,_ he just really didn’t want to talk to anyone. He also knew he needed to keep tabs on Maggie anyway.

“Jarvis, notify me immediately if there is any change in Maggie.”

He hoped Jarvis understood. He couldn’t exactly state the parameters of the request in front of Johnny without him knowing too much.

_‘Understood Mr. Parker. Miss Maggie is currently awake and in her quarters.’_

Good.

Johnny followed Peter to the locker room and they changed in silence. Peter was the first out, and he went straight to the heavy bag. It wasn’t his usual station, but he felt like hitting something. Hard.

He started by popping the bag lazily, just getting a feel for what he could do. He hit it harder, and the skin over his knuckles began to sting. The joints in his hands felt loose, but he wasn’t about to let that stop him. He could catch a 3000 pound car at 40 miles an hour. The heavy bag could just sit there and fucking take it.

“Peter,” Johnny called.

He stopped the bag on its back swing and turned to the kid. “Yeah Storm?”

Johnny tossed the hand wraps to Peter and he caught them with one hand. “You ever wrapped before?”

“No. First time on the heavy bag.”

Johnny walked over to Peter. He nodded toward Peter’s hands. “You need to wrap or you’ll break somethin’. Da taught me how, if you want some help.”

Peter looked down at the wraps in his hand. He didn't know the first thing about what to do with them. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.” It was time for Peter to stop taking his shit with Maggie out on him, so he cuffed him on the shoulder when he took the wrap. “Thanks, Johnny. I’m sorry for being a dick earlier.”

Johnny shrugged. “S’okay. I get it. Things are weird around here lately.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Peter began. He didn’t want Johnny to think there was any reason that excused it, because there wasn’t. Sometimes Peter could be a jealous asshole and he was trying to fix that. “It doesn’t excuse it. I’m working on that.”

Johnny didn’t know what to say to that so he just kept wrapping Peter’s hands. He could tell something was going on between Peter and Maggie though, and that worried him a little bit. “You and Maggie okay?”

Peter couldn’t help the self-deprecating shrug of his shoulders. “Suppose. Just a bad day I guess.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

Peter huffed a laugh. He appreciated the offer, but Maggie would probably kill him, if Johnny didn’t. He really didn’t want to have the _‘I just had sex with your sister this morning and now she’s mutating like crazy and missing pieces of her consciousness’_ talk. Peter looked up to Johnny to shake his head no, but stopped short when he noticed his eye color.

Maggie.... Her eyes- that had to be it! When they got home, her eyes were that electric blue color and then when she woke up she was back to normal.

“I think I figured it out…” he said to himself, mostly. His brow furrowed and his head cocked to the side.

Maggie had told Happy that her eyes kept changing colors during the day. That probably meant her mutation was acting up. When she woke in bed her eyes were back to normal like nothing had changed and suddenly she couldn't remember anything.

Maybe that was the cause?

“Figured what out?”

Peter looked back to Johnny asd he finished with the wraps. “Her mutation. You know the way her eyes were different this morning? And then she _talked_ to Wanda?” Johnny nodded. “They’re back to normal now like nothing changed. I think that’s why she couldn’t remember.”   
“What couldn’t she remember?”

“Coming home. She was tired when we got to the car, and then she fell asleep when we were waiting for you.”

Johnny’s brow furrowed. There went that over protectiveness again. He nodded to Peter’s hands. “You’re good. I’m gonna check on her.”

When Johnny left, Peter breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t even have a problem with Johnny going to check on Maggie. Any other day it probably would have annoyed him, but all he wanted at that moment was to be alone for a few minutes to think.

He went back to the heavy bag and began popping it again. The wraps protected his skin and his hands felt more solid that way. He tried to replicate what he’d seen Steve do, but on a more novice level.

He was no Captain America.

Peter put his headphones in and got himself into a groove. His brow began to sweat and his breathing was faster, so of course he pushed himself harder. The bag withstood his punishment, but that was no surprise. It was the same kind Steve used, so it had to be reinforced.

Peter grunted through a series of harder hits, again and again until the muscles in his chest and shoulders began to burn. He caught the bag on its back swing again, and stilled, panting and sweaty. He bent to take a drink and unwrapped his hands.

He wiped his face on his shirt and threw it in the laundry bin on his way to the showers. After talking to Johnny, getting some quiet time and beating the ever-loving shit out of the heavy bag, he felt much better.

Peter stepped under the water and let it beat down on the back of his neck. There was still the little niggling in the back of his mind that said he should go to Maggie and apologize for their fight. The miniscule remnants of his pissiness argued back that _he_ didn’t do anything to apologize for, but even he knew that was shit. Besides, they had taken a big step that morning and he didn’t want a fight to hang over that for Maggie. As much as she pissed him off, he was still ridiculously in love with her.

 _‘Mr. Parker,’_ Jarvis intoned from the ceiling, breaking Peter out of his thoughts.

“Yeah Jarvis?” he asked, wiping the water from his eyes.

Jarvis continued hesitantly. _‘Miss Maggie is not well. Shall I contact the Captain?’_

“No,” Peter answered sharply, shutting the water off and rushing out to get his towel. “Where’s Johnny?”

_‘Mr. Storm is with Miss Maggie. I have notified him you are on your way. They were speaking but now she is sleeping deeply again.’_

“Thanks Jarvis.” Peter hopped across the slippery floor putting his jeans back on over his still wet skin. It wasn’t the easiest thing he’d done all day. He slipped his shoes back on without socks and rushed out without his t-shirt or backpack.

He walked right in when he got to the Rogers-Barnes residence. It felt odd barging in like that, but he would try to care about that later.

“Johnny?” he called, crossing the living room for Maggie’s room.

“Back here! She won’t wake up.”

Peter entered to see Johnny sitting on Maggie’s bed. She was kind of slumped over like she’d been laying against someone who had gotten up in a hurry. Johnny was pacing back and forth, running his hands through his hair.

Peter bent down to feel Maggie’s forehead. She felt really hot, so he moved her so she laid on her back and pulled her sweatshirt off. He raised each eyelid to check her eyes, and they were that same blue as Johnny’s. Rogers blue.

“You have your phone?”

Johnny’s hands instinctively went to his back pockets, but he was wearing his workout gear still. Peter left his own phone in his bag by the showers, so he didn’t have his either. He shoved his hand behind Maggie’s rear end where her phone was usually in her back pocket, and pulled it out. He tapped the passcode on the screen and turned on the flashlight to low.

“What can I do? There’s gotta be something.”

Peter shook his head at Johnny. “I’m gonna check her pupils. The color of her eyes changed again. I think that’s the problem, or a sign of it at least...”

He raised Maggie’s eyelid again and her left pupil reacted normally to the light. He checked the one on the right, and that one did the same. He felt her pulse on her neck, and Peter was no medic but it seemed okay. It was regular and strong. He went to the stopwatch app and clocked it for a minute. He was pretty sure a pulse of 80 was normal.

“Jarvis, are her vitals normal?”

_‘Her core temperature is elevated to 104 degrees, sir. I strongly recommend notifying the Captain or Sergeant Barnes of the situation.’’_

“Not yet,” Peter barked at the ceiling. He turned to Johnny, “Get me something cold. I’m gonna try to wake her up that way.”    

Johnny took off across the apartment to do as asked. He returned with a bag of frozen peas and handed them to Peter.

Peter took the bag and laid it on Maggie’s chest. He rubbed her hip, shaking her gently, “Maggie, wake up. Come on now, baby,” he called softly. He ran his hand up across her forehead and pushed her hair back.

“Any change in her temp, Jarvis?”

_‘No sir, I am afraid not. Might I recommend a cold bath?’_

“Good idea.” Peter looked to Johnny and he nodded. Johnny headed for Maggie’s bathroom and Peter hesitated for a moment. He lifted the frozen peas and felt the skin of Maggie’s chest. When he realized the cold didn’t even have an effect on that skin, he made up his mind.

This was way out of his league and Maggie could be pissed all she wanted later, but right now he was throwing in the towel.

“Jarvis, get Dr. Cho here STAT. And call Hank McCoy, too.”

_‘Yes, sir. Shall I notify the-’_

“Yes,” Peter interrupted. “Get them home as soon as you can.”

_‘Completed, sir. Her core temperature is now 104.3 degrees.’_

Peter slid Maggie’s jeans off and picked her up. He could feel the heat coming off of her skin as he carried her into the bathroom. Johnny stepped back as soon as he saw them so Peter could get to the tub.

Peter stopped short and looked from the water and back to Johnny. Maggie was totally out of it. If he put her in the tub she wouldn’t be able to hold herself up.

“Take her for a minute,” he instructed Johnny and handed her over. He toed off his shoes and stripped down to his boxers. As he climbed in the cold water his muscles tightened up. _“Jesus,_ that’s cold,” he shivered as he got settled.

He turned to Johnny and lifted his arms, nodding to the water. “Okay, put her in.”

Johnny slowly lowered Maggie into the water. Peter guided her so that she was leaned against his chest and he could keep her submerged as much as was safe and still hold her head out of the water.

“Okay,” Peter shivered, “go ahead and shut off the water.”

Johnny did as instructed and looked back to Peter. He was running his wet hands over Maggie’s face and neck, and wetting the top of her hair as best as he could. Her breathing quickened and Peter held her wrist to see if there was a change in her pulse. It was much faster than in her room.

"Jarvis, vitals," he ordered.

_'Her pulse has increased significantly to 134 and her respiratory rate is now twenty two.'I have updated Dr. Cho.'_

“What else can I do?” Johnny asked. He started pacing the small room, and that wasn’t helping anything. It was times like this Peter really felt the age difference between he and Johnny. He remembered Happy was staying in the building for a while. He said it was just until Johnny got home, but Peter Would bet good money that Happy was still there. He looked too worried earlier to leave straight away.

Peter’s shivered. His jaw was set but as he spoke his teeth began to chatter. “Go get Happy. There’s nothing he can do, but we need to tell him.”

Johnny nodded, but hesitated to leave.

“It’s okay,” Peter lied to reassured him, meeting his big worried eyes. “I got her. Just go get Happy. Let him know Dr. Cho is on her way in.”

Jarvis took that moment to add to the conversation with a much needed update. _‘I have notified Dr. McCoy and he should be to the Tower within thirty minutes. Dr. Cho’s ETA is fifteen minutes. She has instructed continuing the cold bath until her arrival.’_

“What about our parents?” Johnny asked Peter, unaware he’d given the order to contact the team.

 _‘On their way, ETA four hours,’_ Jarvis answered for Peter.

“Thanks Jarvis,” both boys said at the same time. Peter looked at Johnny still standing there.

“Go, Storm. Bring Happy back with you.”

When Johnny finally left, Peter shuddered a breath into Maggie’s wet hair. He could still feel the heat coming off of her body and worried that the bath wasn’t helping at all. He pressed a series of kisses against her temple then looked to the ceiling.

“Her temp Jarvis?” His voice wavered and he wasn’t one hundred percent sure if it was the cold that caused it.

_‘No change, sir.’_

Peter felt his heart skip. He had crossed from worried into full blown panic some time ago, but he had to keep Johnny from freaking out. He squeezed a gentle hug around Maggie’s body and fought back the tears that were burning in his eyes as he swallowed against the lump in his throat.

“Please, baby, don’t leave me like this. I need you to wake up. You gotta be okay,” he murmured against her wet hair. He scooped another handful of cold water up and dripped is across Maggie’s scalp. He whispered into her ear, “I love you, Maggie. I’m sorry for fighting with you. I’m sorry for leaving. Wake up and you can yell at me all you want, baby. Just wake up.”

Peter wiped his tears away with his hand, and that just made his face wetter. He really didn’t care anymore. Let Johnny see him crying, and Happy too. He just wanted Maggie back.

_‘Dr. Cho recommends adding ice to the bath.’_

Of course she does. As soon as Johnny got back he’d have him bring some in. “Thanks Jarvis.”

Peter was relieved when Johnny and Happy stormed into the bathroom. “How is she?” Happy asked, voice full of worry.

Peter didn't answer but looked to Johnny. “I need ice, Johnny. Dr. Cho said to add ice.”

Johnny turned to go to the kitchen and Peter finally answered Happy. “She woke up once we were up here.” He shook his head in frustration. “Johnny was up here with her and I just finished working out when Jarvis called me back.”

Happy sighed and ran his hand down his face. He sat on the toilet lid and nodded, looking Peter and Maggie over as Peter carefully poured more handfuls of water over Maggie’s head.  

Johnny came back with a popcorn bucket full of ice and held it, waiting for Peter to tell him what to do next.

“By her chest,” he instructed, and Johnny dumped the ice. “More.”

Peter squeezed Maggie's body with his legs to keep her propped up. He grabbed handfuls of ice and shoved the cubes down the front of Maggie’s cami, and Happy averted his eyes. It wasn’t graceful and it wasn't careful. He could hardly feel his hands and they were well past propriety by that point, but he was grateful that Happy tried to give Maggie some semblance of modesty.

Johnny brought more ice and they repeated the process for another two buckets. “That’s all there is. Should I go to the LOFT and get more?” Johnny asked.

Peter shivered through shaking his head no. “This is fine, thanks Johnny.”

***

_'Dr. Cho’s ETA is less than five minutes. She would like you to make your way to the medical unit and place Miss Maggie in bay four.’_

Johnny grabbed one of the towels to wrap Maggie in and held it out to Happy. He turned to Peter, who nodded, and Johnny lifted Maggie out of the tub. Happy wrapped the towel around her in Johnny’s arms, and Peter scrambled out of the freezing water. He grabbed the other towel and wrapped it around his shoulders rubbing at his skin briskly.

“Come on, let’s get her to sick bay,” Peter said as best as he could.

Happy put a hand out and stopped Peter. “You need clothes, kid.”

“In the studio, I have my bag. Can you bring it?”

Peter turned and motioned for Johnny to follow him. They left a trail of water behind them, but that was the least of their worries. Not long after they arrived, the first of the nurses came in. She took Maggie’s vitals and began hooking her up to monitors.

“Excuse me gentlemen, I need some privacy for the patient,” she stated professionally before she ushered the boys out and pulled the curtain closed. They could hear her popping and shaking ice packs behind the curtain once the monitors came online. The steady, rhythmic beeping of Maggie’s pulse was reassuring so Peter focused on the sound.     

Happy got there with Peter’s bag and his brow furrowed when he saw the curtain closed. “The nurse has her. She’s hooking her up to monitors and cooling her,” Peter told him.

Peter dug into his bag and pulled on a sweatshirt. He changed into the rest of his clothes and tossed his wet boxers into the linen hamper. He walked back over to Happy and Johnny, pulling his hood up and shoving his hands into the pocket in front.

“Better?” Happy asked with a laugh that said he was all nerves.

Peter huffed with a smile. “Much, thank you.”

Dr. Cho walked in and nodded as she whisked past them and into bay four. They could hear her listening to the nurse, who gave her report. Dr. Cho ordered Maggie be given Dantrium 50 mg IV and the evaporative cooling unit, whatever that was.

She came back out from behind the curtain and approached the group. “Okay, so who’s giving me the report?”

Johnny looked to Peter as he spoke. “This afternoon after school she seemed really tired, just kinda off, you know? She fell asleep in the car but then she woke up when we got here. I got her upstairs and she fell asleep again really hard. She just kinda went limp. She was really hard to wake up for a few minutes, but then she seemed back to normal and I went to work out.”

“When I came upstairs, she was upset.” Johnny looked to Peter with an apologetic expression, but Peter nodded for him to continue. “I talked to her for a while and she stopped crying, but then like Peter said, she just went limp. I thought maybe she was real tired so I left her in bed for a minute, but something just didn’t seem right. She wouldn’t wake up.”

“I see,” Dr. Cho said as she considered what the boys reported. “Is there anything else that has been going on with her besides the mutation? Any unusual symptoms?”

“Yesterday, at school,” Peter added. “She was kinda out of it in Bio, then she ran outside and got sick. The nurse took her vitals and watched her for a while until she could eat and drink. I think she did a urine test, but Maggie said everything was normal.”

“Anything else?”

Peter looked to Johnny and Happy. They both shrugged at the doctor, but Peter didn’t answer.

Happy shifted on his feet and smacked Peter’s arm lightly with the back of his hand. “I’m gonna wait for Hank on the landing pad.”

Dr. Cho nodded. “Thank you, Happy. I’ll let you know if anything changes.” She looked to Johnny next. “You know when she wakes up, she’ll probably want some clothes, or at least a robe.”

Johnny blinked at Peter, then volunteered. “I can get them, you stay with her.”

Once Peter was alone with Dr. Cho, she motioned for him to follow her behind the curtain. The sight of Maggie hooked up to all the monitors, looking so tiny and helpless laying under the big evaporative unit hit him like a punch to the gut. He walked over to the head of the gurney and pressed a kiss to Maggie’s forehead. It was still hot, but maybe a tiny bit cooler? Or maybe it was wishful thinking.

“What aren’t you telling me, Peter?” Dr. Cho asked, pulling Peter out of his thoughts.

Peter looked up like a deer in the headlights. “She’s uhm, been having a lot of changes. Her eyes change color along with everything. This morning they were really dark, almost black. Then we… Uhm, they went bright blue, like electric, and back to normal. They’ve been changing all day.”

Dr. Cho innocuously checked the IV pump and meds, keeping her eyes busy. “Is she sexually active?”

Peter froze, knowing the question would probably come up, but they had made a grown decision to have sex that morning. He needed to be a grown man and own it, not a little kid afraid of getting in trouble.

“Uhm, yeah,” he cleared his throat. “I mean yes.”

Dr. Cho nodded and went to the computer to check the results on the labs the nurse was running. “Are you using protection?”

Peter looked down. His skin was crawling with all the questions. They were super personal and here he was answering on Maggie’s behalf.

“No, we didn’t. Just uhm, this morning... It was the first time.”  

“I see.” Helen looked up the medication she’d just given Maggie and shook her head with a sigh. The way she made the sound caused Peter’s stomach flip upside down. “If Maggie conceives, the medication I just gave her can cause serious birth defects. It’s not certain, but there is a very high likelihood.”

She looked at Peter and saw his fear. “I’m sorry, Peter, but I do need to inform you of the risk. I would have advised giving her the medication either way, because mom’s health comes first. Without mom, we don’t have baby.”

Peter’s breath left him all at once and he gripped the rail of the bed tightly. Oh god, what had he done to Maggie? He bent forward and rested his head on his arms.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.” Tears burned hot behind his eyes and he didn’t even try to keep them from falling.

Dr. Cho came closer. She touched Peter’s shoulder lightly and squeezed. “When she wakes up, I can offer her the morning after pill…”

Peter looked up, nodding and swiping at his eyes. “But?”

“But if it takes longer than a couple of days for her to come around, that option is off the table.”

“If she doesn’t wake up by then we have bigger problems, don’t we?” Peter asked flatly, already knowing that answer. He turned and sat in the chair at Maggie’s bedside, head down and hands fisted together in his lap.

By the time Dr. McCoy arrived, Maggie’s temperature was down to 103 degrees, though she was still unresponsive. Dr. Cho remained guarded about the results of the medication and cooling measures. She and Hank needed to discuss Maggie’s case, and she politely asked everyone to step away.


	50. A Thing With Mutants

**A Thing With Mutants**

Johnny tried to get Peter to talk once they settled into some chairs in the hallway, but he just didn’t feel like it. He felt like a world class piece of shit and overall failure as a human being. He never meant to hurt Maggie.

Her mutation wasn’t on him, but the way it intensified during and after their intimacy rightly made him feel like it was his fault. And as much as she swore her body spoke to her that morning, knew she wouldn’t get pregnant, her body sure was fucking with her now. Dr. Cho’s words kept replaying in his mind…

_Mom’s health comes first. Without mom, we don’t have baby._

To hear Maggie referred to like that was the last thing he expected that morning when he was studying for Calc. It was the last thing he would have thought he’d ever have to worry about, at least in the foreseeable future, but there he was.

Dr. McCoy came out to the waiting area where Johnny and Peter sat quietly. He grabbed a chair and straddled it facing them, leaning in and introducing himself properly. He was a tall man with a deep voice, and soft spoken mannerisms. He actually reminded Peter a lot of Dr Banner, but younger.

“So, Maggie’s been having these visions for a while, right?”

Johnny looked to Peter and nodded. “For about six months, I think.”

“A bit longer, actually,” Peter added. “But we think it’s been getting stronger since October.”  He knew Maggie had dealt with “dreams” for years, but she had told him the other changes only began to happen after their first kiss at Homecoming, then increasingly as their intimacy level grew.

“Wanda gave me the basics after she spoke with Maggie, so I think I have an idea of how her mutation will develop. And, I already know what’s caused them to get stronger,” he said directly to Peter.

Peter felt his cheeks burn and he looked down while nodding for Hank to continue. Johnny caught the movement, but didn’t ask what it was all about.  

Hank continued, “Telepaths are quite tricky, but I have experience with them. What _nobody_ has experience with though, is her genetics.”

“What about the fever and losing consciousness? Is that a thing with mutants?” Johnny asked in the fourteen year old that has no eloquence way he sometimes had.

Hank shrugged one shoulder easily. Thankfully, he took no offense to Johnny’s bumbling through his questions. “It can. The transition process is different for everyone. It all depends on the type of mutation and how it manifests.”

“Oh, ‘cause I didn’t go through anything like that.”

Hank cocked his head. “Wanda and I haven’t spoken about you other than when she told me you were cloned by AIM. You think you have a mutation too?”

Johnny and Peter both snorted an unbecoming and wildly inappropriately placed laugh. Gallows humor and all. Hank understood.

“I catch fire and fly,” Johnny stated in an oversimplification.  

Hank nodded slowly, an intrigued look on his face. “Can you fly without catching fire?”

Johnny shook his head. “No, I wish.”

He looked to both boys. “I definitely want to come back to this later. You too, Peter. But, after you and Maggie- after her _changes_ got stronger this morning, did she say anything about feeling different?”

Peter nodded. “Yeah, she didn’t really know how to describe it, but she said it was like her body _talks to her._ And before that, she could hear thoughts- but not all the time, and not from everyone.”

“Who could she hear?” Hank asked, taking notes carefully on his pad of paper.

Peter motioned between himself and Johnny, “Both of us.”

“And also this guy at school.”

Peter looked at Johnny, his brow furrowed. “Who?” He knew Maggie and Johnny were close, but he didn’t know she confided in him about this stuff too. It took him a minute to swallow the jealousy. It threw him off, is all.

Johnny’s jaw set as he answered. “Flash.”

Peter let out a angry huff at the mention of Flash’s name. He shook his head, but then remembered more. “Oh! And this morning, she had like, a full conversation with Wanda.”

Hank cocked his head. “Before they left?”

Both boys shook their heads. “No, before Da called. They were almost to-” he stopped, knowing it was classified.

“Siberia,” Peter finished for him. He looked at Johnny, ”Dr. McCoy has the same level clearance as your parents and the Professor, it’s okay.”

“Sorry,” Johnny blushed.

“Please, don’t be,” Hank reassured Johnny. “I know this is all still pretty new to you.”

Dr. Cho came out to join the conversation with an update for everyone. She looked minutely relieved, which made both of the boys feel better. “Her temperature is down to 102 degrees now. If she continues to respond to the treatment, her vitals will stabilize.”

“So she’s still not stable?” Johnny asked, worry fully evident in his tone.

Dr. Cho’s serious face came back. “No. I’m afraid not. As long as she is unresponsive, tachypneic and tachycardic she is not considered stable. That means her breathing and heart rate are very fast still.” She looked to Peter, then continued. “I did have to give her another dose of Dantrium IV to get her temperature to come down.”

“I understand.”

Peter spoke as if he understood, but he really didn’t. He didn’t understand how this all could have happened. Maggie was always the toughest and healthiest girl he knew. She was one of the few people in the world that could hold her own against the freaking Black Widow, so how did something like this even happen?

He didn’t understand.


	51. Face the Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for staying with me, and also for your kind words. They keep me going! 
> 
> Also I have no beta, so thank you again for anything you catch... I detest errors.

**Face the Music**

Peter returned to the chair at Maggie’s bedside once he was given permission. The fast beep, beep, beeping of the monitors that once calmed Peter’s mind now just added to his anxiety. He watched the screens, willing them to slow down, to show any kind of improvement in Maggie’s condition.

Her temperature finally dropped below 101 degrees about three hours into her time in sick bay. It felt like it took forever. Dr. Cho was hesitant to give her any more doses of Dantrium. Not because of the possibility of Maggie being pregnant, that potential damage was done. No, it was because in giving more of the medication, they ran the risk of even more, and permanent side effects. Muscle weakness, loss in grip strength, it all sounded awful.

Anything bad happening to Maggie was too risky as far as Peter was concerned. He just wanted her to wake up and yell at him some more. Oh, what he'd give to have that back. He moved the chair closer to Maggie’s head so he could run his fingers through her hair, and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

“Maggie,” he whispered, lightly touching their foreheads together. “You gotta be okay. Please, baby.” He carefully ran his fingers through her hair and brushed it back off her neck. Doing so only reminded him of how careless they were that morning when he saw his marks on the flushed skin there. And god, how the day had changed…

“Peter?”

Peter’s head popped up and he blinked to focus his bleary eyes. Johnny slid the curtain open enough to walk in. He made his way to where Peter was sitting and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

“How is she?”

Peter slid his hand across Maggie’s forehead and brushed the hair from her brow. “She’s about the same. Finally dropped under 101, though.”

“Can I get you anything?”

Peter shook his head. “Nah. I’m okay. Thanks, Johnny.”

Johnny stood awkwardly and Peter could tell he wanted to say something. He turned to look up at the tall teen, and Johnny blushed as he cleared his throat nervously.

“Do uhm, would you mind if I get a few minutes with her?”

Oh Johnny, if you only knew. In truth, Peter did mind. Ever since he left her upstairs in anger, then Jarvis called him back, he didn't want to be away in case she woke... Because if she woke and he wasn't there for her? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

But Maggie didn't belong to Peter, or anyone, not like that. There were other people who loved her and Peter had promised whatever god was listening that he'd stop being such an asshole, if Maggie would just wake up and be okay.

“Yeah, Johnny. Of course.”

Peter kissed Maggie’s head again and stood from the chair. Johnny reached out as he walked past him and pulled him into a hug.

“She's gonna be okay, Peter,” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. Peter nodded and patted Johnny on the back in hollow reassurance. She had to be okay.

***

Johnny stood for a moment staring down at Maggie as she laid unconscious. His eyes darted to the monitors and he remembered what Dr. Cho said about her breathing and pulse being too fast. That hadn't seemed to change but at least her temperature was coming down.

He had just settled in the chair when the nurse came in to check her vitals and change out the bag of fluids in the IV pump.

“You're okay, I can work around you,” she told Johnny as he made to get up. She smiled kindly and did what she had to do before fastening Maggie's hair up into a messy braided bun with a hair tie. “This will help keep some of that heat off her neck.”

She pulled the evaporative cooling unit off of Maggie and straightened her gown for modesty before turning to leave. Johnny was curious about the changes in her treatment.

“How come you're taking that cooling thing off- is she okay now?” he asked.

“Her temp is down to the 100 range, so we can let the ambient air cool her. She needs to stay uncovered, but the gown is fine.” She looked to the IV pump one more time, then back to Johnny. “I just gave her another bag of cold saline. She’ll probably feel awful when she wakes up, but that’s helping us cool her from the inside out.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you.”

The nurse gave another kind smile and slipped out behind the curtain. Johnny's eyes drifted back to Maggie and landed on the marks on her neck. He hadn’t noticed them before, but now with her hair in a bun… It was hard to miss. A familiar knot of anger twisted in his stomach when he replayed what Flash said earlier.

_She and Parker have been all over each other..._

It made him sick to think about Flash’s rumors. Surely that wasn’t it, right? He shook his head. It didn’t matter, they had more urgent things to be concerned about at the moment.

Johnny shifted in the chair. He reached out to hold Maggie's hand and slowly drug his fingers across the back of it at it lay there limp. He looked back to the opening in the curtain from where the nurse had left, and listened for the sound of others being near. The nurse and the doctors could be heard quietly discussing contingency plans for the possible outcomes of the latest tests.

“Hey Mags,” Johnny began. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Maggie’s forehead and whispered, “I love you.”

He pulled her hand into his own and brought it close to his cheek, speaking with a little less of a hush in his voice. “Pop and Da should be here soon. Just hang on, okay? We’re gonna figure this out and get you better. I promise.”

He took a deep breath and blew it out, looking down at their hands again. “I know you were mad at Peter, but like I was tryin’ to tell you, me bein’ at school without you guys wasn’t his fault. Don’t let something silly like that come between you two.” He looked up to her face, still unmoving. “He loves you... More than I’d like him to, I suppose. But you’re good for each other.”  

Johnny sat quietly reflecting on their conversation earlier before Maggie had gone limp on him. She was in her room, angry and crying. She often cried when she was angry, and that usually just pissed her off more.

Maggie's hand gave a small twitch and at first Johnny thought he imagined it. He sat up straighter and stared expectantly at her face, willing her to open her eyes.

“Maggie, can you hear me? Give me another little squeeze.”

Nothing.

“C’mon… Please, come back to us,” he begged and kissed her knuckles. “You're kinda everything to me, Mags. I know that sounds dumb, and I'm still figuring it out, but you're more important than you know. I can't lose you.”

There was nothing else room Maggie, just the fast beeping from the monitors. Johnny sighed and settled for resting his forehead against their entwined hands. Since he had some time alone with her, he figured he could get a few more things off his chest. Face the music, as it were.

“I know when we officially met at homecoming, I came on a little strong at first. And that wasn't cool, ‘cause I knew you were there with Peter. I guess I was trying to see how you'd react, because I was so _drawn_ to you.” He swallowed nervously; knowing their biological connection as it was made him a bit uncomfortable with admitting that to her.

“Back then, I was really confused. I just assumed you were it for me, you know? Like you had to be _the one._ But that's because of how I could never get you outta my head. It uhm, it wasn't like, anything creepy or gross though, I swear.

“I mean, if you were interested, I probably…” He huffed a soft, self-deprecating laugh and shook his head. “Who am I kidding? I totally would have kissed you. My heart just about jumped the hell outta my chest, and that was just from dancing with you, so, yeah. Full disclosure and all...

“We didn't know back then, though. And the more I got to know you, the more I felt really connected with you. I think you were the same way. I mean, we hadn't known each other long, but I _knew_ I could trust you. So when all that shit went down with my mom, you were the only person I wanted to go to.

“You know, the way I am about you, it's not a crush- not anymore at least. And it's not really like a brother-sister thing either. The best way I could describe it is like, you're _mine,_ you know? I just wanna protect you. I _have to_ protect you. I never had a dad before ours, but I think that's what it would be like, from that perspective.

“So what I'm tryin’ to say is I love you, Mags. I do, I love you so fuckin’ much.” Johnny pressed another kiss to Maggie’s hand and gently laid it down. He leaned forward and crossed his arms against the edge of the gurney, then rested his chin on top of them with a smirk on his lips. “Peter does too. He's god-awful miserable without you. So maybe you could do us all a favor and wake up so he'll quit his moping.”

“Nice, Storm.”

Johnny raised his head and shrugged at Peter, who he knew had just gotten back a moment before. “What? I'm not lyin’, you're a wreck.”

“Yeah, well, I'm not the only one.”


	52. Everyone Wants Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pietro to the rescue...

**Everyone Wants Answers**

The nurse slid the curtain all the way open and walked past Peter. She fiddled with the IV pump and checked Maggie’s vitals again before turning to the boys.

“The team is inbound. They’re looking at a five minute ETA, so be ready to get shoved out of the way.”

Johnny breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Peter, who stood frozen in place, eyes flicking from Johnny to the nurse, then back to Maggie’s neck. Because shit, nothing was hidden with her hair up like that. A sick feeling twisted in Peter’s stomach, seeing that the marks on Maggie’s skin were so blatant and out in the open without her hoodie or hair to cover them.

“Peter,” Johnny prodded, making hI'm jump as he was pulled from the vortex of _oh shits_ flying about in his brain.

“Yeah? Oh, yeah, sorry. That’s good. Thank you, ma’am.”

Johnny stood and grabbed Peter by the upper arm with his big hand, pulling him out of Med Bay and into the hall. He shoved Peter against the wall and stepped back, staring him down and standing with his arms crossed in the most menacing impression of Bucky he knew how to pull off. Judging by the look on the guy's face, he did a pretty good job of it, too.

It took a minute, but Peter’s brow furrowed and his spine straightened when he snapped out of whatever it was had a hold on him.

“What, Storm?”

Johnny uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands against his hips, huffing out a sigh of frustration. “Look, you’re gonna have to get your shit together, alright? Pop and Da are gonna be here in no time.” Johnny looked up and down the hall, then leaned in and spoke quieter, “I don’t think all those _hickeys_ on Maggie’s neck are gonna to be their first concern, but _it will_ come up.”

Peter stood there, and as much as he wanted to be clever, or quick witted, or show any signs whatsoever of higher thought, it didn’t happen. His cheeks burned red and he breathed out, looking down at his feet, shoulders slumping in defeat. Seeing those marks on Maggie's skin was just a reminder of how responsible he felt for everything that happened.

“It’s my fault, Johnny.”

“What?” Johnny snorted out a small mocking laugh. He knew the guy was beating himself up, but Peter wasn’t so important that he could influence something like a mutation.

_As if._

"What the hell are you talking about?”

“Her mutation. I think it’s what caused all this.”

Johnny rolled his eyes. “And that’s your fault _because…?”_ he drew out the last word.

“Because for it to fully manifest- you know, the changes are hormonal and…” Peter stammered. He kicked at a spot on the floor, rubbed at it with the toe of his sneaker, then sighed and looked back up at Johnny. “Never mind. Just forget I said anything.”

Both boys looked up, snapped to the side facing the sound as they heard the QuinJet's engines whining as it touched down on the landing pad across the tower floor, and they darted down the hall.

“Don’t think we’re not coming back to this,” Johnny bit out mid-sprint.

He didn’t like the thought of Peter knowing something about Maggie’s condition and not telling anyone. What if it was something important that could have made her better sooner? Or - and this was the worst option - hat if what Peter wasn’t saying was something and it was making her worse because the doctors didn’t know?

As if he read Johnny’s mind, Peter snapped back, “Hank and Helen already know everything, _okay?”_

Johnny still didn’t like the idea, but he didn’t have time to ruminate on it, because as soon as they skidded to a halt, the blast doors opened and a very worried team poured into the hall.

“Johnny!” Steve and Bucky called and pulled him into a quick hug as they continued down the hall together toward Maggie. “How is she?”

Peter heard Johnny filling in his parents as they rushed forward. Everyone else pushed past, and in that moment Peter had never felt so small, so insignificant. Thankfully, Wanda stopped and pulled Peter aside. She knew the two super soldiers were worried about their kids, but she could feel the anxiety and helplessness radiating from Peter when they were still airborne, increasing exponentially the moment they began their descent.

“Are you okay?” she asked quietly, hugging him, but then pulled back and held his face in her hands. She silently continued, _I know this has not been easy on you, but blaming yourself is not going to make Maggie get better._

Peter _heard_ her and saw a little bit of a red glow in her pupils, so he knew she was using her telepathy on him and all he had to do was think his response. Which was good, because his answer probably wouldn’t go over very well out loud.

_I didn’t know this would happen. I never would have- oh god, Wanda. I know you know what we did... And Helen said the medicine she gave her might cause birth defects if she ends up getting pregnant- and just, you gotta believe me, I never meant to hurt her!_

Wanda knew the moment Peter said something about the possibility of birth defects that Maggie and Peter hadn’t been smart about what they’d done. The thought made her chest tighten with anxiety and unwelcome flashes of aching memories.

She hoped that maybe she was just anxious because of the strength of emotions she was feeling permeating her thoughts from Peter, but it wasn't very likely. She knew how impulsive Maggie could be.

Peter's tears began to fall as he wrapped his arms around Wanda, finally being comforted as he buried his face in her hair. She stroked his back soothingly, something he needed so desperately. He was desperate for someone to be there for him, if just for a moment so he could let it all out.

He needed someone to give him permission to take a breath, to stop being the one in charge and having the duty of reassuring everyone else. A larger hand rested heavy on Peter’s shoulder and he tensed.

“Piet, I need to get to Maggie,” Peter heard Wanda say. “I am going to try to connect with her again. Take Peter to get some air or something, _p_ _lease.”_

She released her hold on Peter and he swiped at the tears staining his cheeks. Wanda smiled up at Peter as she raised her hand, fine red wisps of magic coming off her fingers. A welcomed comfort washed over him.

“Thank you,” he whispered, voice still thick with emotion.

Pietro cuffed Peter on the shoulder and pulled him under his arm, starting down the opposite hall. Peter turned and took one look back at Wanda, who stood watching with a worried expression on her face.

“Don’t worry, Wanda will wake her up. She’ll be better soon,” Pietro reassured him, ruffling his hair and bringing him back under his arm. “Right now we’re going to take a walk.”

Pietro led Peter to the bank of elevators and they stepped in. He pressed the roof level and stood next to Peter, both facing the doors. Peter was was grateful, after all, he didn’t think he had it in him for any awkward eye contact at the moment. His skin was already crawling with anxiety again, and he could only imagine how shitty he would be feeling if it weren’t for Wanda' magic.

They stepped out and Peter walked over to the edge of the roof, climbing up on the low wall of the border surrounding the entire area. He sat with his back against the railing, legs bent and arms hugging his knees to his chest. There, up high, he was finally able to take a breath that felt as close to normal as anything he’d done so far that evening.

Pietro clambered up next to him, carefully watching his footing. He sat carefully, and once situated, shook his head slowly at Peter. He smirked. “You know, I never have liked heights. You should consider yourself privileged that I’m doing this for you.”

Peter gave Pietro the littlest bit of side eye and grinned. “Thank you, for this,” he gestured to the ledge and horrifying drop to what would be the death of _almost_ anyone that slipped over. “I always think better when I’m, like, up high, you know?”

Pietro looked over the edge again and swallowed hard, scooting back against the railing as much as was possible. It wasn’t his first choice of places to be. But Wanda said take the kid, so he took the kid.

One didn’t just argue with Wanda, not when she had her mind made up. Being twelve minutes older meant Pietro wasn't a fucking moron. He did as he was told.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he tried.

Peter shrugged.

Pietro saw it in his peripheral as the kid swiped at his eyes again.“I know you love her. Wanda is almost positive she’ll be able to wake her up.”

There was no response other than a silent nod, so Pietro tried again. Clearly, something bigger was at play. “Something else though, yes? What is it you’re afraid of?”

Peter’s eyes darted to the side and he stole a peek at Pietro. The guy was looking out over the Manhattan skyline, still nervously swinging his feet in the air. He handled Peter’s proclivity for being up high very well, and Peter appreciated it. Here Pietro was categorically afraid of heights, yet he brought him up anyway.

The guy was trying.

Come to think of it, Pietro was one of the only ones on the team that didn’t treat Peter like he was there _because of_ Maggie. Not that the Avengers were unwelcoming, per se. They appreciated Peter’s work ethic and his desire to do right by people. That much was obvious.

Bucky had even told him once or twice how he reminded him of a young Steve with as eager as he was to right the wrongs he saw in the world. Tony called it a _hero complex_ but whatever, Mr. Stark, whatever.

Pietro never mentioned Peter and Maggie’s relationship before their trip to the top of the Tower. Peter often wondered why, but never really found the time or place to ask. But to answer Pietro’s question… what else was Peter afraid of? He didn’t quite know if he could talk to the guy _like that._

Peter looked at Pietro’s profile again, breathed in deep and blew out a shuddering breath. In for a penny, and all that shit.

“Dr. Cho gave Maggie some meds to help bring her temperature down. The-” he cleared his throat, “uhm, the meds she gave her. They can cause severe birth defects...”

Peter let his sentence run off into the breeze at the top of the Tower. It was the best he could do at the moment, considering. Peter really didn’t feel it was necessary to just come right out with details.

These people were Maggie’s family first, even though Pietro had never really bought into the whole bullshit patriarchal protection of Maggie’s honor. Pietro knew Maggie was perfectly capable of that task on her own. And the other men, well, Peter supposed it was maybe a generational thing.

So he waited quietly, wondering if Pietro would reply and what he would even say. He felt like he was about to lose his shit with as long as it took for Pietro to say something. Which, let’s be real - wasn’t all that long.

“How far along?” Pintroduced asked, simply.

“Huh?”

“She - Maggie's pregnant, how far? I mean, is Helen _sure_ it will hurt the baby?”

Peter’s eyes searched Pietro’s face for any sign of anger, or judgement, or an indication that he was about to be thrown off the building. There was none, and that tiny voice in Peter’s head that was reminding him this whole time that everything would be okay spoke up again.

“I don't know if she will be. I mean, it was just today, you know? We didn't uhm…” Peter shook his head, huffing out a tired breath in defeat.

Pietro met Peter’s eyes, confusion and curiosity furrowing his brow. He reached out and put his hand against Peter's chest, the motion grounding and reassuring. “Peter, let me understand this. You and Maggie, it was just today?”

Peter nodded. He felt small and scared and exposed all at the same time. Then Pietro huffed a quiet laugh, trying his best to keep from sounding insulting or patronizing in any way.

“I doubt she will get pregnant, Peter. Not from just the one time.”

“Twice,” he muttered.

A snort escaped from Pietro along with an arched brow. Peter finally cracked a small smile.

“Okay, twice.”

There was a moment of quiet. It was an awkward silence, really, at the expense of their inappropriate joking and the smile that had cracked through Peter's seriousness evaporated.

“I'll never forgive myself if I hurt her.”

Pietro cuffed Peter on the shoulder and squeezed gently. He looked back to Peter and held his eyes with all seriousness. “Look, today it was the first time for you two, and you didn't use anything. That's not the smartest thing you could have done, but you're borrowing trouble with the rest.

"If Helen discussed the possibility with you it's because she's being thorough, You and Maggie both need to understand the seriousness that comes along with that type of a relationship.”

Peter blinked. Who knew Pietro could be so deep? He knew Pietro and Helen were close - Pietro probably knew her better than most. Deep down Peter knew he should trust his opinion.

“Pregnancy scares are never easy, Peter. I have experienced it firsthand, and also alongside family - someone I care very much about. But you get through it.” He nodded to emphasize his point. “You realize there are bigger things out there in the world. Consequences can be beyond your control.”

He dropped his hand to push it back through his silver hair, blew out a breath, and for a moment, he looked young and scared himself. “It's more than you expect but it puts you back into your place in the world - as a man. Understand?”

Peter blinked again, still processing the depth of their conversation, then nodded. “I think I do.”


	53. Borrowing Trouble

**Borrowing Trouble**

Peter and Pietro sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes until they were interrupted by a request from Jarvis to return to Medical. Peter jumped up, eager to get to Maggie and see if Wanda had any luck waking her.

Once in the elevator, Pietro laid a heavy hand on the back of Peter’s neck in reassurance. “Remember- don’t borrow trouble, yeah?”

Peter looked up at Pietro, all silver hair and unexpected wisdom. He nodded, a determined look on his face.

“You’re right. I won’t. Thank you, Pietro, I mean it.”

He felt about a million percent better after the time he spent on the roof, and wondered why the two of them hadn’t exactly spoken much before. Either way, the door was finally open.

Peter looked down at nothing in particular and smiled. The simple fact of having a man to look up to that he could also go to with questions or even worries about Maggie and their relationship was like a ton of bricks suddenly being lifted off his shoulders.

Medical was dark and quiet. It had cleared out much more than Peter expected. He made his way past the office Dr. Cho used and through the opening in the curtain in bay four.

It took everything in Peter to not collapse onto the floor when he walked in and saw Maggie sitting up in bed with Steve and Bucky both sitting and talking with her. When she looked up and saw him, she made grabby hands and broke out in that same bright smile that always made his heart skip a beat.

“Maggie, thank god!” Peter sighed, hand grabbing his chest in relief and tears stinging his eyes, threatening to spill over.

He rushed forward and wrapped her up in his arms, kissing wherever he could reach as he buried his face in her neck. He held her tight, probably tighter than he should have but she didn’t complain. He pulled back and cradled her face in his hands, looking into her eyes, which were also shining bright with tears.

“I’m so sorry, baby. God, I’m so fuckin’ sorry!” he blurted before capturing her lips in a desperate kiss.  They separated and he pressed their foreheads together, still holding her face delicately in his hands. He quietly shuddered out with a breath, “I love you, I'm sorry.”

“I love you, too. It’s okay, I’m okay,” she murmured, holding onto the outside of his hands.

Suddenly there was an exaggerated clearing of a throat from the other side of the room, and Peter froze. He sat back and his eyes went wide in horror before turning toward the two super soldiers that sat just on the other side of Maggie’s bed.

He nervously cleared his throat as he stood from Maggie's bed, which he may or may not have practically climbed onto in his haste. His body tensed, expecting to be ripped to shreds in the not-too distant future.

“What, no kiss for me?” Bucky asked, arching a cocky brow at the young couple. Both Maggie and Steve snorted out an amused laugh, but Peter wanted to absolutely die. And he may have, because that reaction was about the _last_ thing he expected. But since everyone was civil and there were no weapons currently aimed at his head- at least that he could see- he figured he might be okay.

“Would, uhm… Would it be alright if I had a couple of minutes with Maggie?” Peter asked sheepishly. “I mean, I know you guys just got back and all-”

“No,” Bucky cut him off, surprising everyone when he stood. He reach for Steve’s hand so he’d follow. “That’s fine, kid. Helen’s keeping an eye on her overnight, and I can tell you two have something to talk about. ‘Sides, I really need a shower, it's been a long fuckin’ day.”

Steve nodded and moved to kiss Maggie's cheek. “Love you, sweetheart.”

“Love you too, Da.”

Steve stepped back so Bucky could lean in and kiss Maggie on top of her head. He lingered for a moment, breathing in the scent of her hair and whispered, _“Ya lyublyu tebya,_ Squirt.”

“Love you too, Pop.”

Bucky straightened and made deliberate stern eye contact with Peter, with no real discernible expression on his face. He stood like that until Steve patted his hip, motioning for them to move out of the small space. Bucky looked at Steve, who raised his brows, and Bucky responded with a curt nod. It was both the scariest and most bizarre thing Peter had seen in a while, and that was really saying something.

Once they were alone, Peter moved to sit on the edge of Maggie’s bed. He held her in his arms and slumped in relief. He just couldn’t get enough physical contact with her, and needed the tactile reassurance that she was there with him, she was okay.

“God I love you so much, baby. I was so scared, please don’t leave me like that again,” he begged, whispering into her hair. “How do you feel?”

Maggie pulled back to look into Peter’s eyes. Hers were the normal Rogers blue until she answered him silently. They flashed that bright electric blue from the morning, and it scared the shit out of him- so much so that he physically jumped before reaching out to her in a panic, thinking he was losing her again.

“Maggie-“

_It’s okay, Peter. It’s all done._

“You- you’re okay then? I don’t understand… What happened earlier? Why were you so sick?” Peter asked, peppering Maggie with question after question. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“Hey, hey,” Maggie murmured.

She held Peter’s jaw in her hands and pulled him in, kissing him soundly. It was her favorite way to shut him up. There was still a ton to learn about her mutation, but the one thing she _had_ figured out, at least with Peter, was that her touch could get her whatever she wanted.

When Maggie pressed her lips to Peter’s, the only thing crossing his mind in that moment was how much he loved her. He felt how much she loved him right back, and that it was all going to be _okay_.

Every little detail of the softness of her lips was amplified, as was the feel of her hands holding his jaw lovingly. Her skin was cool against his own - finally not burning hot anymore -  and Peter was nearly overwhelmed with the relief of it all.

He kissed her back and squeezed her hips, each press of his lips full of tenderness. Maggie’s arms wrapped around Peter’s shoulders and she held him close.

Her senses were still working overdrive, so when her body told her it wanted _more_ and she felt Peter responding, she pulled back abruptly and pushed some distance between the two of them. Her breath hitched as she fought the urge to cry, unsure if her desire was being projected onto Peter again like it had been that morning. The overwhelming emotions were starting to get to her and making her feel exposed, naked in the worst way.

“What- what is it?” Peter asked, voice deepened with desire. His eyes were partially glassed-over and his lips were shining and a tiny bit swollen from their kiss. His tongue swiped out to taste the remnants of her on his lips and the sight of it gave Maggie butterflies.

_She wanted him so bad._

Peter’s eyes cleared and Maggie could tell he didn’t realize there was something different about how muddled his brain had been in the seconds prior. She felt guilty and ashamed when she thought about it, knowing full well using something like that against him was wrong.

Her time _away_ had given her the opportunity for some much needed reflection and consideration of the choices she’d been making. That morning she knew deep down that she was somehow influencing Peter, but with the power of how loud her body was screaming at her, she refused to think too deeply about it at the time. She was just focused on how much she needed him.

But now, what she needed was to come clean. Tears filled her eyes and she looked away in shame. She took a deep breath to steel herself and plowed ahead, hoping against hope he wouldn’t hate her after she was honest about it all. But if he did, that would be something she had to deal with. Something she’d earned.

“Baby, what is it?” Peter asked, anxiety bubbling up in his chest. Had Dr. Cho told her something else, something bad? He reached out and squeezed her thigh through the thin blankets covering her.

“I’m sorry, Peter. I’m so sorry. I should have known- I mean… I think I did know, but I-”

“Hey,” Peter spoke softly, leaning forward to kiss her lightly in reassurance, but she jerked away.

His brow furrowed and he stopped trying to touch her, not knowing what to do. She’d never pulled away from him like that before. His brain immediately went to the scariest and most illogical place, thinking maybe she was wrong about her body “talking” to her.

Oh worse… What if she felt like he took advantage of her? They hadn’t discussed it in their haste that morning about where he should _finish,_ and he just took it upon himself to not pull out. That wasn’t fair to her and he felt like a total fucking asshole.

“No,” she huffed out a self-deprecating laugh, devoid of any humor. “You’re not even close.”

Their eyes met and his brow furrowed. She must have been doing it again.

“Sorry, I’ll work on not doing that without your permission.” She cracked her knuckles, balling her fists up in her lap like she did whenever she was nervous. “I need to tell you something, and I just want you to know how awful I feel about it. If you don’t want to be with me anymore… I- uhm, I’ll understand.”

The tears that were burning hot in her eyes finally fell at the same time Peter breathed out a sigh of frustration. How could she possibly think he wouldn’t want her?

“Maggie, look at me. What the hell are you talking about? You’re freaking me out here.”

She motioned to her eyes and they flashed that electric blue for just a second. “I’m not sure exactly what all this does yet. I think there’s more to it, and I think I _made_ you be with me this morning, and I…” she buried her face in her hands and cried,  _“God, Peter, I’m so sorry.”_

Anger flashed hot in Peter’s gut. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that Maggie actually thought he didn’t want every part of what they shared that morning.

“Wait, what?” he began, tone a little sharper than he intended. And really, had she even _met_ him?

“That’s just bullshit! I mean, how can you even think that? Every time I kiss you, or even touch you,” he stood and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, “it’s all I can think about sometimes.”

Maggie sat back, surprised not only at the tone he took with her, but the language he used toward her, too. She definitely hit a nerve. It wasn’t like him, he hadn’t snapped at her like that since…

 _Homecoming._ The night she followed him outside and he kept telling her to go back in so she wouldn’t get hurt.

“M’sorry,” she murmured but that just set him off more.

“You’re sorry? Jesus, Maggie, you’re _all_ I want. What did I ever do to make you think- I just don’t know how you could think that.” He shook his head and paced back and forth at her bedside, then stopped, shoulders slumped and head hanging in exhaustion from the day’s events. Maggie could feel the raw up and down of emotions radiating off of Peter, and how hard he was trying to control them. When he spoke again, it was softer, without any of the edge from a moment before.

He sat next to her again and took her hand in his, his voice softened. “God, I’m sorry for snappin’ at you. Please, baby, don’t ever doubt how much I love you, how much I want you. If it were up to me, I’d make love to you every minute of every day. There’s nothin’ better than being with you like that.”

Maggie’s cheeks flushed hot at Peter’s words. Her heart fluttered in her chest, warmth and desire pooling in the pit of her belly at the memories of the morning, the way she felt when there was nothing between them but their heated, flushed skin.

He pressed soft kisses to the back of her hand and then held it against his heart, closing his eyes and swallowing thickly. Maggie watched in silence as he swiped at his eyes with his free hand.

The relief of getting her fears out in the open racked Maggie’s body with a chill followed by a new wave of exhaustion. “M’tired,” she murmured, scooting over. “Can you come up here with me?”

“You know I can.”

He moved the blankets so she could have all of them, then climbed up next to her. She curled into his side, resting her head on his chest, arm wrapped across his torso.

“We’re gonna be okay, right?”

“Mhmm, promise.” Maggie nodded her head and squeezed Peter’s waist.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”


	54. Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note to let everyone know that this fic will be on a little break for just a couple of weeks. Thank you to everyone who has shown it (and Maggie) so much love!  
> I'll have another update with more team development and, of course, shenanigans in early November the latest!

See chapter summary


	55. The New Maggie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie and Peter have a difficult conversation. Who they are, how they came to be and the way they see the world aren’t even remotely similar but what does that mean for them?

**The New Maggie**

The nurse came in about three hours into her sleep, and Maggie heard her before she entered.

“Peter,” she whispered, kissing his jaw lightly and he awoke with a start, looking around the room and down at Maggie to make sure she was okay.

“Sorry to w-” the nurse stopped short when she saw Peter in bed with Maggie, but quickly recovered. “Sorry to wake you. I just need to check your vitals and IV, Maggie.”

“Thank you again for taking care of me,” Maggie said sincerely through the fog of sleep, moving to her back so the nurse could access her arms. “I really appreciate everything.”

The older woman simply smiled back down at Maggie, then awkwardly looked to Peter, who had gotten out of bed and moved to the chair. “It’s my pleasure, sweetie. I’m glad you’re doing better now.”

After vitals were complete, she began to disconnect the IV. “Doctor says if your vitals are still stable we can stop the fluids, but you have to keep the hep-lock in your hand until tomorrow, just in case.”

“That’s good, right? I mean, she’s better now?” Peter asked, sitting forward to watch everything the nurse was doing.

He wasn’t being nosy, _per se,_ he just wanted to make sure Maggie was taken care of. Call him paranoid, but he just got her back and he was feeling more than a little overprotective.

“Yes, that’s very good,” she answered Peter, trying to let him be included in the conversation but at the same time retain Maggie’s privacy. When she finished, she looked to Peter directly. “I’m going to need a few minutes with her alone, alright?”

Peter nodded, taking the hint. “I understand.”

Once Peter left, the nurse sat at the edge of the bed and looked over Maggie with the eyes of a parent. She was open, and approachable, but cautious.

“How are you feeling, Maggie?”

Maggie yawned and forced a little grin, stretching the length of her body. “I feel good, like, physically.”

The nurse’s poker face fell a bit and her brow furrowed the tiniest bit. _Physically,_ Maggie specified, so she tried to dive a little deeper.

“And what about emotionally?”

“Uhm,” Maggie began, trying to put to words the things she was experiencing. “I don’t really know. I guess I feel kinda raw? Like, everything is so loud, and bright, and just sharp?” Maggie blew out a breath in frustration and shrugged. “That probably doesn’t make any sense.”

“Actually it does. I think you should talk to Wanda, maybe. When you feel up to it, of course.”

Maggie cocked her head at the nurse. She had seen her a few times but didn’t really know her, but there was an aura of honesty and concern radiating off of her, and Maggie could feel it down to her bones.

“I- yeah. That’s a good idea.” She reached out and held the nurse’s hand. “You know I haven’t figured this whole thing out, but I can sense how much you care about me.”

The nurse blinked back a few tears before she squeezed Maggie’s hand, letting go to stand and complete her tasks. “You just take care of yourself, okay sweetie?”

“Okay. Thank you.”

She turned back to Maggie as she was leaving and smiled, a soft expression. “You’re more than welcome. I’m down the hall if you need me, but otherwise I won’t bother you for a few more hours.”

Maggie sat with her legs folded under her and cracked her knuckles, brow furrowed in curiosity. She heard steps and the rustling of fabric, then the faint sounds of breathing and a heartbeat. Immediately, she _knew_ it was Peter. Bizarre.

“Hey you,” she called softly before he even got to the curtain. He poked his head in, and when she saw him she smiled, holding out her arms.

He went to her and kissed her cheek lightly. “You heard me comin’, huh?”

“Mhmm, but different. Everything’s so different now.”

Peter climbed into the bed, mirroring her posture but facing her from his spot near the foot of the bed. “You’ve been through a lot, baby. I’m sure Wanda and Hank will be able to help you understand a lot of it.”

Maggie cracked her knuckles in her lap again, carefully since the hep-lock was still in place in the back of her hand. “I think so too, they’re really smart and Hank has done so much research on mutations.”

“But?” Peter asked, taking her hands in his own.

She shrugged. “I was so sure of everything this morning, you know…” she blushed, referring to their first time. “Now I’m not as confident.”

Peter let go of her and his posture stiffened. Maggie immediately felt the apprehension radiating from him and moved closer.

“No, that’s not what I mean. I love you, Peter. I love you more than anything. I’ll always be sure of that.”

She climbed into his lap, straddling him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she buried her face in his neck. He held her back, and she stayed silent in their embrace until she felt Peter’s uncertainty turn into relief, but then confusion bubbled up.

“You know, when I said my body talks to me?” she began, sitting back so she could look at him.

Peter tensed. _Shit._ He was afraid of that, but nothing could be done about the past. It was only the now and the future.

“Did Dr. Cho talk to you about the medicine she had to give you?”

Confusion furrowed Maggie’s brow and she tried her best to remember everything that happened since Wanda woke her up. She blinked up at Peter.

“Not really. I mean, she said she had to give me a few doses of this thing called something _-trium,_ I think? Then she said she talked to Hank and they were positive the fever and unconsciousness was all because of the accelerated mutation. Something about my genetic _wild card._ Everyone keeps calling it that-”

“-Baby, listen to me,” Peter interrupted, holding her cheeks softly in his hands. “If we were wrong, I mean if you get pregnant… That stuff she gave you to bring your temperature down?”

Maggie nodded with big, fearful eyes, waiting for Peter to continue. She even tried to read him, but all she could feel from him at the moment was his protectiveness and her own anxiety.

“What is it? Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yeah, it’s bad stuff. I mean you needed it, but it can cause birth defects. She said _severe_ ones.”

Maggie’s eyes widened when Peter finally got it out in the open. He felt like a total piece of shit for putting her in the position to begin with, and also for being the one to tell her something like that.

“But it's gonna be okay. She said as long as you woke up soon she could give you the morning after pill; so that’s good, right?”

Maggie’s eyes fell and she shook her head, not looking relieved at all.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Peter murmured, wrapping her back up in his arms and pulling her against his chest.

Maggie was still sitting straddled in his lap and he was pretty sure if someone walked in there would be quite a bit of explaining to do, but at the moment he didn’t give a shit. He just needed to be there for her. He felt her bury her face into the crook of his neck and shudder out a breath before she spoke.

“I don’t think I can do that,” she said in a tiny voice.

His hands stopped tracing their patterns into her back and he pulled back the slightest bit to hear her better. “What do you mean?”

Instead of responding right away, she pulled him back in and hugged him tight. This part of the conversation was too much for eye contact. She knew she was being a coward by not looking at him, but she didn’t really care at the moment.

“That’s like an abortion. I can’t do that.”

Peter’s heart skipped a beat and a rush of panic made his chest go tight. He didn’t see it that way, but did they really have to have _that_ conversation now too? _Fuck,_ the list of things he hadn't thought about that morning was just getting longer by the minute.

“Isn’t it-  I mean, doesn’t it like, keep you from getting pregnant? How is that the same as an abortion?” he asked, continuing to hold her close and running his hands up and down her back again to soothe her.

Maggie pulled back to look at Peter. Had she not been so consumed with her own internal struggle of right versus wrong, the level of confusion on his face would have been comical, but she saw that he was trying to understand her.

“We learned about it in Sex Ed. The way it works,” she began, resting her hands between them, in her lap and against his stomach, “is it makes your body get rid of anything that develops, _if_ anything develops. So, really, it prevents a fertilized egg from attaching. They kept saying it’s not an abortion pill, but if the egg is fertilized, then what else could it be? I mean that’s an embryo, right?”

Peter nodded thoughtfully, his science brain taking the lead. That wasn't always a good thing, especially then.

“Might be semantics, but I guess it depends on when you believe life begins.”

 _“And?”_ Maggie asked, desperately needing him to elaborate.

“And what?”

“When do _you_ think it begins?”

Peter huffed out a tired breath. It was too late to have that talk. Or was it early by then? Either way, he had no idea what the right thing to say was anymore.

“You don’t have to worry about a right or wrong answer, Peter,” Maggie grumbled. She was reading his mind again but she really didn’t mean to that time. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to... Just, I don't know… Tell me what you believe. What about Johnny and I? Weren't we alive enough to matter before we were implanted in _our_ mothers? I mean, I know it’s a unique perspective I have, but I really wanna know how you see it. We were embryos, cells were splitting and multiplying. That’s growth isn’t it? Or was it not until we had heartbeats?”

_Shit._

He didn’t think about it like that, but she was right. Things weren’t nearly as black and white as they may have seemed. And to think he was ready to beg Dr. Cho to give her the pill anyway if she didn’t wake up in time. Would she ever forgive that?

_Shit._

“I - I never thought about it before… This,” Peter stammered, indicating the room around them. “I would have asked her to give it to you, but I was just so scared. I didn’t think about anything else because I was focused on you being okay, and I didn’t know if that would have made it worse on you or not.”

Peter pulled Maggie back against his body to hold her again. He didn’t really want to talk about it, but knew they had to eventually. Maybe he was just tired, or maybe he was being a little wimp trying to avoid reality and responsibility.

“I’m gonna support whatever you choose. I know you want my opinion, but I really don’t know what to think right this minute. I guess I’d have to research it more. I’m sorry, baby, that’s all I got.”

Maggie wrapped her arms back around Peter and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. She sighed, tired and worried, and he knew deep down, just by that sound what her answer would be.

“Let’s get you back to sleep, okay?” he whispered against the top of her head.

She nodded, carefully crawling out of his lap and back under the blankets and facing the wall. When he went to sit in the chair instead of lie down next to her, she didn’t protest. At that point she really wanted to be alone, honestly, but couldn’t quite bring herself to ask him to leave.

Maggie did her best in the awkward silence, to listen to her body, looking for any evidence of the connection she had the previous morning. Sensations were amplified, and if she thought about it, named an individual organ, she could actually _feel_ the blood circulating through it. The inhalation of air filling her lungs, her diaphragm pushing the air out, even the pounding of her heart and the paths the blood took through her arteries and veins. It was all there for the taking, containing volumes of information just waiting to be discovered.

But pregnancy, the thought of possibly getting pregnant and then having to face the decision she now faced… That was more than she bargained for. Thinking of it now made her feel so ignorant, naive and immature. And she had been so sure that morning, positive nothing would happen.

Peter was beating himself up now, but it wasn’t just on him. They were in it together. She _needed_ that completion, the connection it brought and the transformation from her old self to the new.

But just who the hell _was_ the new Maggie?

 


	56. A Dark Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Peter alone, what could go wrong?

**A Dark Place**

Peter sat quietly, staring at the floor. He moved his feet so they were crossed, and slouched down in the chair, hoping that Maggie would reach out for him but it never happened. Soon, the only sounds were of the air filtering through the ventilation systems and the soft snore coming from Maggie as she lay wrapped up in the blankets. 

She looked so small, so vulnerable. He began to wonder if she wanted to be alone, but couldn’t bring himself to just leave without saying anything. Sure, the nurse was down the hall, but it just wasn’t the same.

Peter wasn’t sure how far into the night it was, but the unmistakable sound of footsteps - heavy Super Soldier sized ones - brought him out of his thoughts and into the present. He bolted upright, knowing it had to be one of Maggie’s dads. The curtain slid open as quietly as it could and a blond head peeked in.

“Mr. Rogers,” Peter whispered. “She’s been asleep for about two hours this time. The uhm… The nurse took out her IV, but said Dr. Cho wanted to monitor her vitals for the rest of the night.”

Steve moved into the space and bent over to kiss Maggie on top of her head. He lovingly brushed back some of her hair and looked up to find Peter watching. 

“I’ll just… I’ll get out of your way, sir.”

Steve shook his head and stood to fully face him. “I came to talk to you. Why don’t we take a walk?”

Peter swallowed hard and nodded, getting to his feet obediently. He followed Steve out of the room but looked back, the curtain still partially open, but when he turned back all he saw was the imposing figure leading him out of medical and to the lift. 

Full disclosure, it wasn’t something he was prepared for that night. The jovial atmosphere in the room when he first saw Maggie awake, and then the  _ look  _ Bucky had given him before leaving that night were perfectly juxtaposed, and now… Having Steve Rogers, who had always been patient and quiet and friendly with him leading him silently to who-knew-where was intimidating to say the least. 

Steve got into the lift and Peter followed, not sure if he should stand quietly or speak as they made their way to the way to the roof level. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet and Steve shot him a glance from the corner of his eye. The silence was too thick, too heavy, so Peter’s penchant for nervous chatter won out.

“How was your mission? Maggie said you guys were in Siberia?”

Steve nodded once, saying nothing. 

_ Shit. _

Out of all the scary people in the world that Peter thought would be the death of him when he and Maggie began seriously dating, Cap sure hadn’t been at the top of the list. Nope, that title went to the Winter Soldier himself. Second in line was Black Widow. Then probably Tony Stark. 

Hell, Steve Rogers didn’t even make top three, yet here they were. And what the  _ actual _ fuck? Was Jarvis deliberately making the elevator go slower than usual?

“Jesus, calm down. I just need to talk to you,” Steve spoke evenly. 

There was no inflection in his tone, and somehow, that made it even worse. Finally, the elevator opened, Peter following Steve up the stairs to the metal roof access door, and into the fresh  _ very early _ morning air at the top of the Tower.

When they stepped out, something told Peter this talk wasn’t going to be anything like the one he had just hours prior with Pietro. But he knew that. 

Steve had always been reserved as far as Peter had seen when outside his role of the Avengers’ leader, so he really had no idea what to expect. He walked over to the edge of the building, to the low wall that ran along the diameter of the building and stopped, standing with his back toward Peter and hands in his pockets. 

“I noticed your things haven’t been moved to the LOFT. You wanna fill me in on what happened while we were gone, Peter?” 

“I - yeah. After school Maggie and I came back with Happy. Johnny had a football thing, and-”

“-No,” Steve cut in. “From the beginning. What happened to make you come over so early? Maggie and Johnny were fine when we left, but you were here before school. What happened?”

“Oh. I don’t know how much Maggie’s told you about the visions she’s been having? And I uhm,” Peter continued, rubbing at the back of his neck, “I shouldn’t really be talkin’ for her, but she’s afraid someone’s going to try to take her.”

Steve continued to stand with his back to Peter, giving away nothing. “We know.”

“Oh. Right, ‘course you do. So, she told me when we were talking before school and I didn’t feel right about her being alone. Y’know, like I told Mr. Barnes, I wanted to keep an eye out for them.”

Steve turned toward Peter, expression dark and distant until he met the kid’s eyes. “I trusted you, kid. I  _ still _ wanna trust you, but I got a feelin’ there’s more you’re not tellin’ me. Like Buck said, I was seventeen once, too, so I’m only gonna come out and ask you this one time.”

Peter squared his shoulders and planted his feet, readying himself for what he was sure had the potential for a decent beating. And if his voice wavered the tiniest bit when he answered? He could always deny that part. 

“Yes, sir?”

Steve sighed and looked away from Peter. “Do I need to talk to Maggie about birth control?”

Suddenly, Peter didn’t feel the bravery he tried to convince himself he possessed. His right hand reflexively rubbed the area over his heart. His mouth was dry and his chest was tight, and his heart may have actually stopped beating for a moment. He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out, so he tried again. 

“I - I…”

Steve’s brow furrowed. Peter’s non-answer spoke volumes and Steve automatically went into protective dad mode. Something told him Maggie wasn’t as okay as he’d hoped, and Bucky was even more likely now to literally murder the kid than he was when they walked in and saw those goddamn marks on Maggie’s pale skin. He had convinced Bucky to be calm, for Maggie's sake, at least until she was recovered and they could have that conversation, but the more Steve thought about it, the less he liked the idea of waiting. He needed answers. 

He stepped forward, ready to go back inside and figure out a way to break the news to Bucky. They needed to talk about this. All of them, about all of it. 

Peter reached out and grabbed Steve’s forearm to stop him, but then let go just as quickly. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding as his posture fell. Every bit of his bravado seeped right out of him, like he was a full sponge that had been crushed beneath the weight of the world. 

“It’s not that simple anymore, Mr. Rogers,” he began quietly. “I never meant to hurt her, and now I just… I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”

Steve stepped back, deliberately putting space between himself and Peter. He felt his jaw clench and the roar of the pounding of his heart in his ears only signaled one thing. And here he tried for so long to learn how to control his temper, to get a handle on that famous piece of Steve Rogers that both the bullies of the world as well as the media loved to exploit.

Push around little Steve Rogers, he’ll always take the bait. See how much Cap can take, keep on him until he breaks because it’ll be good for ratings. Eventually he always breaks. 

But this time he wouldn’t lose his temper. Maggie was worth everything, and whatever Peter said about it not being so simple stuck with him. 

“What do you mean, not that simple  _ anymore?” _

_ Fuck. _

Peter hated speaking for Maggie, but at the same time, he had promised to love and protect her. He knew, just as much as Steve knew, his non-answer was enough of an answer. And really, who the fuck cared at that point? He was as good as dead, anyway. He should at least do right by Maggie, make sure she got the care she needed. And if she was pregnant…

_ Fuck. _

_ “Goddammit Parker.  _ Fuckin’ tell me what the hell’s going on. What’s wrong with Maggie?” Steve growled, fisting his big hand in the fabric of Peter’s hoodie and lifting him off the ground.

“We don’t - I mean, she might be… But if she  _ is _ then the medicine Dr. Cho gave her-” he stammered.

“Might be  _ what?”  _ Steve demanded, eyes dark and voice low, but as soon as the words were out it all made sense. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed and let go.

Peter fell back to the ground, unable to catch himself in time, heart beating furiously against his chest. God, he was so scared for Maggie. This whole thing with Steve? He didn’t even care about himself. He just wanted Maggie to be okay. Sure, she was awake now, but if he  _ did  _ get her pregnant… Peter needed to make sure Maggie and the baby were safe, healthy.

Peter scrambled to his feet but Steve shoved past him, heading for the access door. He stopped short and barked out Peter’s name, not turning to look at him.

“Yes, sir?” Peter answered, doing his best to keep his voice from wavering.

“When will we know for sure?”

Peter’s brow furrowed and his posture slumped, defeated and exhausted. “I’m - I don’t know.”

The door slammed and Peter blinked hard, the tears that had been welling up in his eyes finally spilling over. He went back to the ledge where he’d sat with Pietro and climbed up, looking out over the lights of the city below. 

New York didn’t care. That was one thing Peter could always count on, the city would always keep going. The sun’s rays were still far off, barely enough of them having reached the east coast to turn the milky black of the night sky a strange, lighter hue. Not quite night, but not dawn yet either.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting, but it was long enough to feel the summer morning’s sun start to warm his back. The city had fully come to life, Peter suddenly jumping at the realization that Maggie would probably be waking soon.

Through the access door, he jumped down the last few steps in his rush to get back to medical. When he tapped the button for the elevator impatiently, Jarvis spoke, making Peter jump. 

_ ‘My apologies, Sir. The Captain has requested you return home until further notice. Mr. Hogan has delivered your things to the lobby.’ _

  
  
  
  
  



	57. Papa Don't Preach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve tries his best to be everything for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was created after odd_izzy suggested reading the previous chapter "A Dark Place" from Steve's POV. I hope they like it!

**Papa Don’t Preach**

Steve bent down to kiss the top of Maggie’s head, lingering for a moment, happy to just be back with his family, Johnny downstairs and Maggie awake and recovering. He knew the night - and the fight - was far from over but for the moment he just wanted to embrace the gratefulness that settled over him knowing they were all that close, because they were okay, and they were all together. 

After leaving Maggie and Peter to have some time to talk, he and Bucky made their way to the elevator, arms around each other’s waists in an unspoken agreement. They would talk more once they had some privacy. When the lift doors opened, they stepped in and Bucky directed Jarvis to take them to their floor.

_ ‘Of course, Sirs. And may I say, welcome home.’ _

“Thanks Jarvis,” Steve replied. 

Bucky pulled Steve around to his front and wrapped his arms around his waist in an attempt to give him some much needed reassurance. Warmth spread through Steve’s chest for his husband. Again, right after a grueling mission that  _ had  _ to have been triggering at best for Bucky, his main focus was to soothe Steve. Bucky never once failed to honor his vow to take care of Steve and let him set down the mantle as Cap, to be  _ just Steve _ at home. He was certain he would never tire of thanking whatever higher power that existed for the love he’d been given throughout his life by Bucky. 

“Love you, Buck,” he murmured, nuzzling into Bucky’s neck.

Bucky gently kissed Steve, whispering, “Love you too, Stevie.”

No sooner did they walk through the foyer than Johnny woke with a start, popping up off the sofa and rubbing at his eyes. He’d been waiting up for them, pacing the floor and must have finally dozed off.

“How’s Maggie?” he asked, eyes bloodshot and voice thick with emotion.

Steve frowned and shot a look to Bucky, who nodded and went to Johnny, pulling him into a hug. Steve knew the kids were close, but this level of concern in Johnny surprised even him.

“You okay sport?”

Steve watched fondly and the concern he had for Johnny morphed into love, tightening his chest as Bucky gave Johnny exactly what he needed. It was effortless, the way he was able to calm the kid with a gentle touch and a few simple words. It must have been the Steve Rogers in him, genetically predispositioning him to love and trust everything Bucky Barnes.  

Steve sure was a lucky man. 

It’s seemed like forever ago since they were home as they got into bed and Steve curled into Bucky’s side, exhaustion settling in. Bucky’s hair was still damp from the shower and he smelled of the rose-water conditioner he began using after Natasha suggested it the previous winter.

“You okay, Buck?” Steve asked, pressing a soft kiss into the skin of his chest.

“You worry too much about me, Baby.”

Steve made a noise of dissent and Bucky continued. “Natalia and I had fun destroying that base. It was cathartic,” he sighed

Steve rose up in his elbow and gently pressed a kiss to Bucky’s lips. “Just need to make sure. I know you tell me not to think about it, but I didn’t go back for you. I’ll never forgive myself for that, Buck.”

“Steve-“

_ “-I know.  _ I know, we’ve talked about it, but I can’t help it. I just…”

“Look, Stevie,” Bucky sighed, holding Steve’s jaw tenderly. “We’re here, together,  _ now  _ okay? That’s all that matters. Yeah, we both went through a lotta shit, but if things were different then, we wouldn’t have the kids now and I never would’a been able to marry you.” 

Bucky moved over, laying Steve back and settling on top of him, threading one of his legs between Steve’s. He brushed Steve’s hair back off his forehead and kissed him soft, languidly.

“I wouldn’t trade the life I have with you for anything,” Bucky said quietly, lips curling in a soft grin down at Steve, and a tired, yet grateful expression in his eyes. “Now how about we get some sleep and talk about all this other shit in the morning. We’re home and Maggie’s safe. That's all that matters right now.”

“Okay,” Steve reached up and kissed Bucky’s lips again, soft and chaste. 

Bucky slid down Steve’s torso enough to use his chest as a pillow and Steve sighed, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair and holding him. Not five minutes later, Bucky was snoring - and probably drooling - against Steve’s skin.

Some hours later, Steve wriggled out from beneath the snoring beast known as his husband and went to get some water. He was filled with restless energy, so like any other night when he couldn’t sleep, he went to his studio. 

Walking in with the lights down low, things seemed off. The blanket he kept folded along the back of the sofa was bunched up and at one end, and some of the decorative pillows were tossed haphazardly on the floor, along with one of Maggie’s shirts. 

But why would Maggie have undressed in-  _ Oh, Jesus. _

The parent in Steve refused to think about what had no doubt happened in that room with everything askew and Maggie’s clothes on the ground. And that was fine, but the strategist and  _ grown fucking man _ who had experience doing those kinds of  _ things, _ knew what it meant. 

_ That’s _ what Helen wasn’t telling them. 

Steve and Bucky met with both Helen and Hank at Maggie’s bedside as soon as they got to Medical. In the meantime, Wanda attempted to wake her, and Steve had a suspicion the report on Maggie’s condition was missing something. Bucky was the one who finally called her on it, but Helen simply told them what they’d discussed was all she could tell them about her case at that point, and that they needed to do further workup and assessments. Steve, in his exhaustion and worry, let Helen lead him to assume she was referring to the mutation, but Bucky insisted something else was going on. 

They didn’t have time to pursue it any further, because Wanda connected with Maggie and then everything really got crazy. Honestly, Steve and Bucky were both just so happy to see her up and talking. Also, Johnny kept apologizing, which still didn’t make sense. 

Helen needed to examine Maggie, so Steve and Bucky sent Johnny back home when they stepped out. There was a look of something else in the kid’s eyes when he asked if he should tell Peter Maggie was awake. It was like looking into a mirror, which was still just weird sometimes, but Steve knew that look. It screamed over-protection with a little jealousy around the edges, like if he had his way, he would have happily beaten the ever-loving-shit out of Peter.

After Maggie’s exam, Helen determined she was stable so Steve and Bucky went back in to send Wanda home. There was a brief moment where Steve thought Bucky would join in the hunt for Peter when Maggie’s gown slipped and her hair was pulled up, revealing the fading marks along the skin of her neck. Given Maggie’s accelerated healing factor, the marks had been made the previous morning. 

_ ‘Buck, not now,’  _ he’d begged Bucky with his eyes, holding his arm tightly. 

Bucky’s expression was troubled, caught between not upsetting Maggie so soon after her waking and blood-thirst. Thankfully, Steve was able to calm him right before he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

Pietro brought Peter in, and honestly, Steve was floored with how well Bucky controlled himself as Peter practically jumped into bed with Maggie. It was all very abrupt and desperate, and he knew emotions were running high for everyone involved, so he decided to let it slide as long as Bucky stayed calm. Neither of them wanted to upset Maggie.

Steve still had his doubts at that point, either that or he refused to see the signs for what they were, but once he saw the state of disarray the studio was in, he understood. Maggie and Peter were clearly further into their physical relationship than Steve thought. 

The rational, human part of him understood, had been there once himself.

The dad in him wanted to rip the little fucker limb from limb, toss him off the roof of the Tower and see just how resilient he actually was.

The Steve from the war wanted to rip the kid’s dick off and shove it through his eye socket.

The family peacemaker in him knew that was a bad idea, because hurting Peter would only hurt Maggie. 

And if it wasn’t Peter, it would eventually be someone else. Maggie was growing into a beautiful, smart and strong woman with a body that didn’t necessarily obey the laws of physics, and a mind of her own. At least with Peter, Steve had some sense of confidence, definite trust in the way he loved, and respected Maggie. 

_ Fuck,  _ what a mess. He had to talk to the kid. He had to talk to Maggie. He had to keep Bucky and Johnny both from murdering the ever-loving shit out of Peter. That’s how he found himself on auto-pilot, wandering down the hall in Medical directly to Maggie’s room. 

Peter must have heard him coming because he was alert and looking in his direction when he popped his head in. Peter whispered to him, giving him the latest details, and when he got wiggly and was about to leave, Steve stopped him. They needed to talk, but right then at Maggie’s bedside wasn’t the time or place.

In the lift, Steve could feel the tension radiating off the kid, and though he would have loved to let him suffer, it wouldn’t do any good. He needed Peter to open up to him, not shut him out. It was the only way to get the answers he was after. 

So he did what he’d learned best from Nat and asked open-ended questions, letting Peter’s answers speak volumes. The kid loved Maggie, that much was obvious. He wanted to protect her, and Johnny too. What Steve still didn’t understand was what had changed so quickly for Peter to feel he needed to come over before school. He knew it was more than just convenience of he and Bucky being away on a mission. If Peter and Maggie  _ really _ wanted to be alone to fool around, they would have found a way. Teenagers always do.

On the roof, Steve turned toward Peter, expression dark and distant until he met the kid’s eyes. “Do I need to talk to Maggie about birth control?”

The look on Peter’s face spoke volumes. Strange enough, as Peter rubbed his chest, Steve felt the tightening in his own. God, it was like having an asthma attack, or at least how he remembered them. 

He needed answers.

When Peter reached out and grabbed Steve’s arm, it took everything in him to keep himself calm, but it still wasn’t enough. The years of progress he made in controlling his temper went up in flames before his eyes and the next thing he knew, he was holding the kid off the ground by his collar. 

_ “Goddammit Parker,”  _ Steve growled low in warning. “Fuckin’ tell me what the hell’s going on. What’s wrong with Maggie?”

What he heard next only made his eyes lose focus as his blood boiled. All he had to do is say it out loud and his life was forever changed. 

His baby. 

In trouble. 

He had to fix it, or at least get her the help she needed.

“Jarvis, have Happy get that kid’s shit down to the lobby. Tell him to park his fuckin’ ass at home and stay there. I’ll deal with him later.”

_ ‘Yes sir, Captain. Shall I have him vacate the premises now?’ _

Steve sighed. It wasn’t even daybreak yet, and here he had promised May he’d do right by the kids. 

“No.” He shook his head and looked at his watch. It was 0442 hours, and far too early to toss Peter out on the street. “Give him some time, but then he needs to go home. It’s for his own good.”

_ ‘Understood, Captain.’   _


	58. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie has a choice to make. It's a choice that gets easier after her most recent vision, but that vision has consequences. The team is out again but this time maybe they'll be able to get the man who's been haunting her dreams off the streets and put away for good. 
> 
> She's not the only one who would be happy this particular man is gone.

**Decisions**

Maggie stirred, hearing the faint sounds of breathing coming from the chair behind her. The rest she got was enough to bring clarity to her mind, and she wanted to talk to Peter about it all. She turned, expecting to see him dozing in the chair, but frowned in confusion when she was surprised by an altogether different picture.

“Da?”

“Hey sweetheart, how you feelin’?”

Maggie turned the rest of the way, wrapping herself tighter in the blankets. Something about Steve's posture and expression didn't sit right, and it made her nervous. She held her fathers eyes, her own lighting with that blue electricity Peter and Johnny described earlier.

“You're trying to get a read on me, huh?” Steve asked. It wasn't really a question.

Maggie's brow furrowed. “I'm… Wait, what? Oh - sorry, Da. I didn't realize I was doing that.”

She yawned, then stretched, looking around the room. They were alone. “Where's Pop?”

“Home, with Johnny.”

“Oh.” Maggie was quiet for a moment. “Did Peter leave?” she asked quietly, cracking her knuckles and not quite meeting Steve's eyes.

“I sent him home.”

“Why?” Maggie asked, afraid she already knew the answer, given the obvious tension in Steve's jaw.

Steve sat forward. “I think it's best if you and I talk first. Pop’s gonna take everything better that way, don't you think?”

Maggie's cheeks burned hot and she could feel her face flushing in embarrassment. She nodded meekly, knowing Steve either figured everything out, or was told - by Peter or Helen, she wasn't sure - but regardless, there was an awkward conversation coming her way.

“Listen, sweetheart, I know you're going through a lot right now. This is all new, but I need to know some things… I just need to be able to help you, okay? You're my baby, no matter what, and you might be in some trouble here.”

“I think I am, Da,” Maggie admitted, lip quivering even in the face of her best efforts to be mature about it all.

“In trouble?” Steve clarified. His heart may have actually broken open with the sharp pain he felt. He swallowed over a lump when Maggie nodded.

“I uhm, well - things have been changing a lot,” Maggie began, chewing her lip. “The mutation, its been getting stronger with hormone changes, I guess?”

“Hormone changes?” Steve parroted.

“Uh-huh. Wanda said she thinks that's what brought it on.” Maggie looked nervously to the curtain, then continued quieter. “Every time Peter and I are… _intimate,_ I guess you could call it, it gets stronger. Wanda says it's probably because of hormones from, _you know...”_

Steve almost forgot to breathe. He was trying to be a mature fucking adult, but every bone in his body screamed at him to run, to find a corner to rock in while he shoved his fingers in his ears and refused to open his eyes. But he didn't. He stayed put, and kept an open, neutral expression trained on his face. He was goddamned proud of himself for it, too.

“Wanda has known about this?”

Maggie looked to Steve and nodded, all frayed nerves and teenage embarrassment and big blue eyes. Steve could see the myriad of emotions flitting across Maggie's features, and the nurturing parent in him wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and reassure her that it was all going to be okay. But he wasn't so sure, not without knowing the rest of the puzzle Helen had omitted.

“She took me to the store, bought me condoms.”

“Oh. Okay,” Steve breathed, relief evident in his tone. This was good, Maggie was being smart, and had someone to talk to about these things.

“I'm sorry that I've disappointed you, Da,” Maggie said in a small voice, sitting up in bed cross-legged. Her expression reflected every bit of discomfort she was having with their talk.

“No, sweetheart. Don't apologize. You're being smart about it, right? I'm actually proud of you for-”

Steve was cut off by Maggie vehemently shaking her head no. No? But Wanda, and the condoms…

“I wasn't smart about it. We didn't even talk about that ‘till it was too late. But I thought I knew my body - you know, all the changes,” Maggie blurted. “It was like I _knew_ I wasn't going to get pregnant or anything. Like I told Peter after… My body talks to me, except now it's not, and I-”

 _“-Woah,_ hang on,” Steve interrupted Maggie, holding his hands out and calling a proverbial truce.

They were going nowhere fast with all the talking in circles. He needed to take a step back, and as much as Steve was the nurturer of the family, he was still Steven Grant Goddamned Rogers. As much as Steve naturally fell into the “motherly” role, if that was even a real, non-patriarchy manufactured line of bullshit thing, he was still a man. A man who was _vastly_ underprepared for what he faced down the barrel of his immediate future.

Maggie breathed out a sigh of frustration, and flopped down onto the pillow. She groaned, burrowing back under the blankets so deep that only a few tufts of her bun stuck out above them.

“Can we please call Wanda? Or Aunty Nat?” Maggie's dry, semi-annoyed voice came from beneath the covers.

“God yes, I thought you'd never ask,” Steve breathed, his own frustration coming through his tone. He couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of relief and crack a genuine grin when he heard Maggie snort a laugh from beneath the covers.

She flipped the blankets off her head and smiled sheepishly up at him. “I love you, Da.”

Steve got up and kissed Maggie on top of her head. “Sure do love you too, sweetheart. I'll go get them.”

“No need, we're here,” Wanda answered from down the hall.

Steve pulled the curtain open the rest of the way just in time to see them cross the threshold of the entrance to Medical. He greeted them both with a hug, but stopped short as he turned back to Maggie.

“What’s wrong? Maggie?” he asked, worry lacing his tone.

Steve surged forward, taking Maggie’s hand in his own and patting it to get her attention. Maggie sat perfectly still, only moving passively as Steve tried to get her attention. She was staring right through them, eyes bright blue but unseeing.

Steve turned back to Wanda, and without him needing to ask she knew what he wanted. Fine wisps of red magic glowed from her fingertips as she reached forward and however her hand near Maggie’s forehead. He eyes shot to Steve, then Natasha as they both stood helpless, waiting for something, any kind of answer as to what was going on with Maggie.

Wanda finally tapped into Maggie’s consciousness and gasped. She saw Maggie, probably about five or so months pregnant, miscarry. To make matters worse, shortly after she miscarried, she was kidnapped. It was the man with the face, the same face Maggie wasn’t quite ever able to describe, but she didn’t have to anymore. Wanda knew that face. It was the same one that experimented on and tortured her and Pietro when they were teens.

Wanda closed her eyes, shuddering a breath and stilling but then placing her hands on Maggie’s head, one on each temple. It worked, because Maggie finally blinked and her eyes went back to their regular color.

“Wanda!” she cried and wrapped her arms around Wanda’s shoulders, holding tight.

Wanda hugged her back, petting her hand down Maggie’s hair. “I know, I saw. It’s okay, Maggie. You’re okay.”

“No, I won’t be. I’m not going to be okay, Wanda. You saw!”

“Listen to me,” Wanda began, pulling back and holding Maggie’s face in her hands, the motion grounding in a way only Wanda could provide. “It doesn’t have to be like that. We can fix it now.”

“Can one of you please tell me what the fuck is going on?” Steve interrupted, his own anxiety flaring his previously pretty well controlled temper. He sighed, taking it the fuck down a notch. “Maggie, sweetheart. What happened?”

“I - I’m pregnant?”

“You’re what?” Natasha cut in, then looked at Wanda. “You said you can fix it. Do you mean an abortion?”

“No,” Maggie jumped in. “You saw, Wanda. That didn’t happen, I was bigger, and then…” Maggie’s voice trailed off and she looked down at her perfectly flat stomach, hands guarding it protectively. “I’ve already seen it.”

Wanda slouched in apparent relief, and with a small grin. She hooked her arm around Maggie’s shoulders and drew her in close.

“Maggie, there are things we see, but that doesn't guarantee they will happen, not one hundred percent.” She looked to Steve and nodded. “When I first met your Da, I was convinced your Uncle Tony was going to destroy the world by making a bad decision. I saw it… All of it.”

Maggie looked over at Wanda through big watery eyes. “You did?”

“She did,” Natasha agreed. “I remember. She and Pietro both tried to stop it on their own, but we all realized it would take more than that to change the course we were all on.”  

“The man, though, I’ve seen him before. It’s the same man. Wanda, how can we do anything to change that? It’s not like I can take a pill and suddenly make him not exist.”

Wanda looked to Steve, then Natasha. “I know who he is. Now we can do something about it.”

“Who?” Steve asked, his authoritative Captain America voice demanding an answer.

“von Strucker. We have experience with him.”

“You do? How?” Maggie asked.

“He… created us. Pietro and I.”

Steve stood and moved one half step toward the exit, but stopped abruptly, Natasha right on his heels. He turned to the girls back in the bed, and Maggie nodded, holding onto Wanda’s hand.

“Go, Da. Please? I’m okay, just please get that man so he won’t hurt me, or anyone else.”

The begging tone Maggie used broke Steve’s heart in half. He moved back to her bedside and gathered her up in a crushing hug. “I love you. We’ll talk more when I get back, okay?”

“Love you too.”

After Steve and Natasha left to prep the team to take in von Strucker and his group, Maggie flopped back against her pillow. She covered her face, exhaustion permeating her to her core. She really just wanted a hot shower and her own bed. Who knew she’d miss the anonymous bliss of being Maggie Alianova, no complications, no mutations, just boring ol’ Maggie.

“You’re not boring, you never were.”

“Wanda!”

Wanda laughed lightly. She purposely did that to bring Maggie out of the self-destructive spiral she was falling into.

“Move over.” Wanda settled in close next to Maggie, and the two faced each other.

“You said it doesn’t have to happen that way?”

Wanda nodded. “That part is up to you. You can choose to continue on, but you’ll still lose the baby. I think in your heart, you know it, too. That part had nothing to do with von Strucker.”  

Maggie’s lip trembled and she buried her face into the pillow, finally letting the tears fall. It brought Wanda back to her own experience as a teen, and she pulled Maggie against her chest, holding her and stroking her back in a soothing pattern.

_“Ya znayu, vse budet khorosho.”_

After a while, Maggie finally stilled and drifted off, and Wanda quietly extricated herself from their tangle of limbs. She knew Helen had offered Maggie the morning after pill which she refused. Now that Maggie knew she would indeed conceive, and what was in store for her and the baby, she had a feeling her mind would be changed. Wanda set out to find Helen and Hank.

The team was just gearing up for their trip to von Strucker’s last known location when she found them, and Hank, in the mission prep room. As soon as Pietro saw Wanda, they shared a look and he nodded. The beauty of being twins was that even before their enhancements, they had a bond so close they only had to ever share a look to know what the other was thinking.

“Piet,” Wanda began as her brother wrapped her up in a strong hug, “I don’t want you to go.”

“Seriously, and miss the chance to take that man down?” he asked, shaking his head in disagreement. “You know I have to do this, for us, and for Maggie.”

“But what if he hurts you? Piet, you know what he is capable of.”

“And you know what I am capable of,” Pietro retorted and Wanda sighed in frustration.

Hank chose that moment to walk over and gently rest his hand against Wanda’s lower back. He and Pietro both shared a look, and Wanda cocker her head to the side. When had those two gotten so close?

“Wanda,” Steve called, approaching the group. “Can you please keep an eye on the kids? As soon as Maggie’s stable enough, go ahead and take them to Xavier’s place.”

Hank nodded. “We need to work the kinks of her mutation out so she can function safely.”

“It appears I am outvoted here, but yes, of course I’ll take care of them, Steve.”

Wanda said goodbye to everyone as they filed out and then she slumped into Hank’s space, leaning her weight on him. He pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head.

“She’s going to be okay, Wanda. I know it’s different with her, but she’s hardly the most difficult case I’ve ever worked on.”

Wanda pulled away from Hank and spun on him, irritation evident as her eyes narrowed in his direction. She crossed her arms across her chest and stepped back.

“Maggie is not a case. She is my family, Hank. Remember that.”

Hank held his hands up in surrender, hoping to right the wrong he’s apparently made in his speech. “I only meant-”

“-I know what you meant,” Wanda said, deflating as fast as she bristled moments ago. “I’m sorry, I’m just very worried, about everyone.”

“Come here,” Hank ordered gently, opening his arms to Wanda. She went, without any more prodding, and nuzzled against his warm body. “Let’s go see about Helen, shall we?”

Once Hank and Wanda got back down to Medical, Johnny was there, sitting and talking with Maggie. Hank, being the type of mutant he was could smell the protective pheromones radiating off Johnny when they walked in. Even though the kid was polite and accommodating, it was clear he wasn’t happy about being interrupted.

“Has Helen been in yet?” Wanda asked, her eyes darting between the two teens. She didn't even have to use her powers to know they walked in right in the middle of an important conversation.

“Yeah,” Maggie answered. “I need to talk to Peter though. Da said he sent him home, and his phone is still here.”

Maggie nodded to the small tray Peter’s things sat on from the previous night. “Can you guys get him, or maybe get May’s number? Please?”

Wanda squeezed Hank’s hand. “I’ll find him, don’t worry.”

“And I’ll go speak to Helen,” Hank supplied helpfully. The two pulled the curtain closed after they left the room, that way Maggie and Johnny had some more privacy.

The kids looked at one another once they were alone again. “You said, it’s like you’re my father or something?”

Johnny shrugged. “That’s the best way I can describe it. When Mr. Morita said that he’d be pissed too, if someone said those things about his little girl, it just kinda clicked. It’s the best way I can describe it, even though I never had a dad.”

Maggie’s brow furrowed and she cocked her head. There was almost a look of hurt on her face. “I mean before Pop and Da,” Johnny clarified.

“Oh, I understand. Sorry.”

“Look, Maggie. I don’t know what all’s been going on with you and Peter, but I’m gonna try and stay the fuck out of it. I know it’s not my place, and I’m your brother, not your dad.” He frowned, then continued. “I just couldn’t not do anything when Flash was talking his shit. I’m always gonna defend you.”

“What did he say, anyway?” she asked, curious to know what had set Johnny off so quickly.

“Doesn’t matter, he’s an ass.”

“Matters to me, though.”

Johnny looked up from where he’d been glaring at the floor, and met the concerned eyes of his sister, his pride and joy, his friend. He blew out a breath and nodded. “He said you were knocked up. His words, not mine,” he added quickly when he saw the way Maggie flinched.

“It’s because I got sick?”

Johnny nodded. “Listen, don’t worry about what he says. I don’t think he’ll be bugging us anymore. ‘Sides, he’s graduated now, so we don’t have to deal with him next year.”

Maggie gave Johnny a little self-deprecating shrug. He was right, Flash was out of the picture now, but his rumors were clearly a lot more accurate than he or Johnny knew. But that would be taken care of soon, too. Just as soon as she had a chance to talk to Peter.

“Maggie.”

That morning when Maggie woke up, she’d decided that she would take the morning after pill that Helen offered. Not because she thought there was anything wrong with the baby, but at that point, she’d done a lot of soul searching and decided she wasn’t convinced that there really _was_ a baby at that point. And if there was, she was nowhere near ready to be a parent. It wasn't the right time in her life, or Peter's, and there was so much going on with her body already...

“Maggie.”

She was what was considered pre-conception, and if her research was accurate, there wasn’t even anything anchored to the wall of her uterus yet. So in theory, taking the morning after pill wasn’t an abortion. It was preventive… Maybe? Shit, she didn’t really know, but after the most recent vision, it didn’t exactly matter.

One thing was certain, and that was she needed to talk to Peter again. Even though it was ultimately her decision, her body, she still wanted to talk to him. She wasn’t expecting him to be gone when she woke and it didn’t sit right with her, not being able to let him know her decision or even say goodbye before leaving for heading upstate.

“Hey, Maggie!” Johnny called, this time more forcefully. He finally managed to pull Maggie out of her thoughts.

“Sorry, what?”

“What’s going on? You know you can talk to me, right?”

Maggie bit her lip. Could she though? This was a big deal. “Sorry, I just… I need to make a decision. I mean, I made a decision, I just…” she sighed, shaking her head. “Just not an easy one.”

“Wanna bounce some ideas off me?” Johnny asked, truly wanting to be helpful to someone for once. Everyone was always helping him, and he hardly felt reciprocated.

Maggie swallowed thickly. “Are you sure?”

Johnny nodded, jutting out his stubborn jaw and looking more like Steve than ever. “Try me.”

“So if someone has unprotected sex, hypothetically speaking,” she began, jumping right in and watching Johnny’s expression for any indication he changed his mind. There was none. “Anyway, say someone has sex, and they don’t use any protection, but they can use the morning after pill, as long as it’s within seventy two hours…”

“Yeah?” Johnny asked, waiting for the rest of the conundrum.

Maggie’s brow furrowed in surprise at the very impartial and mature way Johnny was taking her supposition. She continued anyway. “So suppose this person was going to be pregnant, if they didn’t take the morning after pill. Is that like, the same as having an abortion?”

“No, because it stops the fetus from forming before it even starts.” Johnny took a moment, considering. “Is this person pro-choice?”

“Well, yeah. Of course.”

“Then what’s the big deal? They’re not against abortion, right?”

Maggie shook her head. “No, of course not, I think everyone should be free to do what they want with their own body. I just don’t personally believe in it, for me.”

Johnny sat quietly, waiting for Maggie’s brain to catch up to her mouth and realize what she’d said. He had a very strong feeling she was speaking from experience, but knew if he pressed the issue, she would shut down on him.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” he huffed an awkward laugh.

“Don’t kill Peter, please?” Maggie blushed profusely and for some reason, the reaction only made Johnny laugh. He threw his head back, his eyes crinkling and nose scrunching. Maggie laughed too, a might bit more hesitantly, but laughed all the same.

“Jesus, Mags. Don’t worry, I won’t kill him,” Johnny said more sincerely after they both quieted their laughter. “You know, I never thought in a million years I’d have a family like this.” He reached out and took Maggie’s hand. “It’s a bit more than I bargained for sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world. I love you, ‘kay? Whatever I can do to help you, I’m gonna do it.”

“I love you too Johnny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Russian translation
> 
> Ya znayu, vse budet khorosho. = “I know, it will be okay.”


End file.
